A 61-year-old Hayes man is appealing for witnesses after claiming he was assaulted outside Wickes in West Wickham.

Gary Grimwood, 61, was driving out of the DIY store on Croydon Road on Saturday (May 26) at around 12.45pm when a parked car almost obstructed his way.

“I managed to squeeze through,” he told News Shopper. “I shook my head, put my hands in the air and said something like ‘you idiot’”.

After stopping at the exit, the passenger of the parked car ran over and a verbal confrontation ensued, according to Mr Grimwood.

He added: “This guy, who was in his early 20s, started saying I called him a w*****. I stepped out of the car and I said I called him an idiot.”

A man, believed to be the passenger's father and described as being over 6ft tall, ran across the road and smashed into Mr Grimwood's side, according to the 61-year-old's account.

“He was screaming that I was assaulting his son, even though we were having a conversation. He was a very nasty character.

“He came flying into me, it was like getting hit by a stream train and he lunged me into my car.”

Mr Grimwood suffers from spinal arthritis and described enduring even more pain since the alleged assault.

After informing the attacker he was phoning police, Mr Grimwood said he was again lunged at as he was pushed backwards in the chest.

“There were lots of people about,” he explained. “He was driving a Black Ranger. The first assault I didn’t see coming, he just slammed into my side.

“It was a mistake ever getting out of the car.”

The victim said he went into Wickes where staff contacted police, but the suspect and his son had left by the time officers arrived.

Mr Grimwood said police dropped the case days later because it was "one word against the other".

The Metropolitan Police were unable to find any logs relating to the incident after a News Shopper enquiry.

Mr Grimwood has pleaded for witnesses who he believes are his “last chance” to build a case and to get justice.

He added that he was now worried about people coming up to his car and is now struggling to walk properly because of the affect the assault had on his spine.