HEADTEACHER Gerry McCabe suffered a broken nose and two black eyes after he confronted youths who ripped an election poster from a neighbour's garden.

Mr McCabe, 49, head of Primrose Hill Special School, Burnley, had been dining with friends at his home on Keighley Road, Colne, on Saturday st 9.15pm when he saw about five youths tearing the Labour poster.

Without telling his wife and friends, he went out to have words with the youths who had gone to a nearby off-licence.

He said: "I often go out and tackle them and I have always got away with it before.

"I am usually able to calm them down and get sense out of them but I think these lads were going to hit someone and it just happened to be me.

"When I approached them I could tell they were drunk and I realised that I wasn't getting any sense out of them.

"Then one of them punched me in the face. The whole thing lasted just seconds and was seen by neighbours and the people in the shop.

"The first thing my wife knew about it was when the woman from the shop told her I had been attacked."

Mr McCabe went to Burnley General Hospital and was allowed back home at 2am yesterday.

He has not gone to work because his eyes are so swollen cannot see to read and he has a constant headache.

He also does not want to upset the children and hopes to return mid-week.

Mr McCabe added: "I think I just went in at the wrong time."

Inspector Stuart Boothman said police were investigating the incident and were appealing for anyone who witnessed the attack to contact 01282 863161.

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