A CABBIE today spoke of his terror after being punched and stoned by thugs.

It was the latest in a string of assaults on taxi drivers in the Pendle area.

Taxi bosses have condemned the violent yobs and called for more to be done to protect drivers.

Khadim Hussain was waiting for a fare near the Hare and Hounds pub in Foulridge on Friday evening when he was punched and his car stoned.

He managed to make off, but claimed he could have been seriously assaulted in the latest incident.

Married father-of-two Mr Hussain, 42, who has been a taxi driver for ten years, said: "I parked up near the pub and got out to go and call for the fare when two lads said to me what's your problem?.

"I explained I was there to pick someone up and the next thing I knew one of them hit me in the face. I managed to get back into the taxi but they were throwing bottles and stones at me. Luckily I was able to drive away or it could have been much worse.

"I am sure I was attacked not because I was a taxi driver but because I was Asian. It was very scary."

Last year cabbies threatened to quit the streets of Pendle after a driver claimed he was beaten up and had his cab vandalised in an attack.

Imtiaz Hussain said he was assaulted and the front window of his car smashed after he picked up a fare outside the Good Night Club in Nelson in September.

Police then issued a warning to attackers following a series of incidents in Colne. And a crackdown by officers led to several arrests of people accused of offences ranging from criminal damage to assault.

Pendle Council, the authority responsible for setting fares for hackney carriage taxis in the borough, said increased abuse began last year following an incident when a 90-year-old patient was overcharged for a short taxi ride from Nelson's bus station to the new health centre at Yarnspinners Wharf.

More calls were today made to make the streets safer for drivers.

Chairman of the Pendle Hackney Carriage Association Mushtaq Ahmed said: "This could have turned into a very serious attack and has left drivers scared to go out to the more remote places.

"We had meetings with police and council last year after an incident, but more still needs to be done to protect drivers' safety."

Police today confirmed they were investigating the latest incident.

A spokesman said: "Any incident like this is something we take extremely seriously and our inquiries are continuing."