Tony Hawker was woken up by the sound of breaking glass outside his home in The Avenue, Ramsey. He went outside and found six young thugs mindlessly kicking the car.

Mr Hawker (35) remonstrated with the gang but they then swarmed into his garden and one of them punched him in the face. A terrified Mr Hawker managed to get back to his house, where his children Sam (12), Charlene (7) and William (6) cowered. He reappeared in front of the youths with a bat.

The mob left, hurling insults.

A shaken Mr Hawker stood in his garden with wife Julia, and his neighbour Wayne Latham (50) also stood next door in his garden.

However, the gang reappeared and had swelled to about 10 people.

They shouted abuse before one of the thugs snatched a child's bike and attacked Mr Latham with it, battering him and knocking him unconscious.

Mr Hawker rushed to the aid of his friend and neighbour, but before he could help him, he was hit on the back of the head and passed out.

When he regained consciousness he was surrounded by the youths who rained punches and kicks on him.

As the pair laid prostrate, the gang ran off after the incident at midnight last Saturday.

Both Mr Hawker and Mr Latham were taken to Hinchingbrooke Hospital, near Huntingdon, for treatment.

Mr Latham (50) had a broken cheekbone and severe swelling from the attack.

Mr Hawker was also seriously injured.

Speaking today, he said: "When he started punching me in the head the pain was unbelievable. My eye felt like it had popped out. I blacked out at one point. I just kept on thinking what are they going to do to my family."

"The doctors said my eye was infected and if I didn't have it treated straight away I would be blind."

The attack has disturbing echoes of the case of Gary Newlove. Mr Newlove (47) died two days after being "kicked like a football" when he confronted a gang in Warrington, in August 2007.

Three teenagers were later found guilty of his murder.

Detective Constable Julia Coker, who is investigating, said: "This was a despicable crime on two men who were trying to protect their, and their neighbours', property."

Mr Hawker added: "I have lived here for six years and there is never that much trouble. It worries me that they are going to come back. I don't know if I could take it again."