A MAN thought he was about to die after two thugs smashed him around the head with a bar in a motiveless attack in the middle of a power cut.

The youths pounced on him from behind in Amersham Road, High Wycombe, hitting the 45-year-old with what police believed was lead piping or a cosh, before running off cheering on October 29.

The man, from High Wycombe, who is too frightened to be named, said his attackers shouted as if they had "just scored at Wembley" after raining down blows to his head causing severe lacerations.

The victim said the youths did not take his money and he has been left wondering why he was targeted during the power cut when two electricity substations failed.

He said: "All I am concerned about is if these guys did this they could do it to someone else, and they could get very hurt or even die. I don't know if they want to kill or maim someone or if they just want to injure someone as much as possible. If they had been three inches nearer the front of my face it would have been in my temple and I would have been dead."

He added that he had a terrible pain in his head and heard them shout 'yes' like they had "just scored at Wembley" before they ran off.

"I thought I was going to die, it was such a heavy blow to my head. As I put my hand up to my head, the skin was broken, and I felt like there was going to be a hole. I just didn't realise what was going on. I was lucky that they hadn't cracked my skull but lacerated my head.

"I thought I was going to faint in the darkness and be found by the bin men in the morning. Unless I dropped on to someone's car bonnet no one would have taken a lot of notice as it was so dark."

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident which happened at 7.30pm. They are looking for teenagers who were Asian or black and wearing dark clothes with hoods. If you have any information contact PC Simon Kennedy on 01494 465888.