A CHAMPION strongman was attacked and beaten up while cycling to work in the early hours.

Wayne Fulton was riding along Accrington Road in Hapton yesterday when two men got out of a car and launched a vicious attack punching and kicking him.

The 34-year-old, who created the Burnley and Pendle Strongman league and has competed nationally, said he was utterly shocked by the unprovoked attack, which happened at around 6.15am.

And after 15 years of cycling on the roads the IT manager said he's had enough after rising tensions between cyclists and drivers.

The former England's Strongest Man competitor from Harle Syke, said the pair, who were with two girls, shouted something at him out of the window.

He said: "I thought maybe I knew them and then further up at the traffic lights I came level with them and I said 'are you all right?'

"One got out of the passenger side and another got out of the back.

"They just started throwing punches and kicking me. Something was thrown at my head. It was something big and heavy like a brick or a full can of pop.

"It made a hell of a bang on my helmet.

"I got off the bike and started to defend myself.

"They got four punches in, a couple to the face, one to my arm and to the back of my head but thankfully I had my helmet on. They threw another five or six punches at me but missed."

Mr Fulton, who won the newcomer title at the Bolton strongest man competition and has been training for a new bodybuilding competition, said after they saw he was capable of defending himself they backed off but not before giving his bike a kicking.

The IT manager said: "I knew once I was back on my bike they would chase me. I was worried about getting knocked off so I got off the main road and went down a side street.

"It was awful. There were a few cars around and they were just swerving and beeping to avoid me. There was no help at all. I was on my own against four of them.

"It was totally unprovoked and totally random. I did not know them."

The dad-of-one said he thinks three of them were aged 18 to 23 and one was in his early 30s.

"One girl was screaming at them to stop but I do not know what the other one was doing. I'm certain one of them was filming it on their phone," he said.

"This is the first time anything like this has happened.

"It has put me off cycling on the road. It is getting worse, this horrible feeling between motorists and cyclists. I wear all the gear and know how to use the roads but it has really put me off.

"I felt like they saw a cyclist and thought 'let's give him some grief'. That is what it is like and they have taken it to the extreme.

"I will be using the canal route from now on.

"I am a strong lad and can look after myself but I have got a friend I go cycling with who is 71-years-old. That could have killed him. Luckily for me I got up and I am alright but it could have been anybody."

A police spokeswoman said they received a call at about 6.50am to reports of an assault.

She said: "Two men have pulled up next to the victim on the main road, got out of the car and punched and kicked him, got back into the car and driven off.

"Enquiries are ongoing but I would urge anyone who knows those responsible to call police on 101."