Pensioner knocked unconscious in park attack

Roger Dunn was knocked unconscious during the attack

A pensioner who was knocked out by another man in a park said the assault has left him "sad" about today's society.

Former firefighter Roger Dunn said he was walking with his wife in Ridgeway Playing Fields in Bristol on Saturday when he was attacked by another dog walker.

Mr Dunn, 80, was left with cuts and bruising to his face, arm and shoulder.

A spokesperson for Avon and Somerset Police has appealed for witnesses to the attack to come forward.

Roger and his wife, who live in Fishponds, were walking their dog near the Coombe Brook Valley area at around 18:10 BST on Saturday, when another man's two dogs ran over and started barking.

Mr Dunn said the man was verbally abusive and then punched him to the floor, before threatening his wife as well.

"I'm just incredibly sad it happened," he said.

"Apparently my wife told me when he hit me I was out like a light, and I fell on my hand."

Roger Dunn said he was walking his dog at Ridgeway Playing Fields when the attack happened

"I've got some problems. My right hand is still very painful and is sort of restricting a bit what I can do with work, but I don't think anything's broken.

"I thought it was perhaps because I'd managed to punch the guy back, but it wasn't."

Neighbourhood Sergeant Luke Keenan said: "We're investigating this as an assault causing actual bodily harm. Thankfully the injured gentleman is recovering and we have positive lines of enquiry to follow up.

"The neighbourhood policing team will be carrying out patrols in the area so do speak to them if you have any information or concerns.

"If you were in the park on Saturday evening, or have any information which could help our investigation, please call 101 and give the reference 5225211210."

'Threatened my wife'

Mr Dunn says his wife is now suffering with flashbacks of the incident.

"She sort of shouted at him [the attacker], 'what have you done'," he said.

"And his response was, 'do you want some as well?'.

"So that's why I'm sad. He would have been prepared to hit her."

Mr Dunn added: "I wasn't whiter than white when I was a lad, I got up to all the usual things, but nothing on the scale of what's happening now.

"It's sad, really sad. I wouldn't have hit an old age pensioner, that's for sure."