A young dad was left needing hours of surgery on terrible facial injuries after being toppled by a single punch in an unprovoked attack.

The 33-year-old, who is too frightened to be named, was walking home with a friend after enjoying drinks and a flutter on the Grand National on Saturday, April 6, when the other man, 24, stepped into the path of a car in Hornchurch.

The victim tried to placate tensions between his friend and an enraged passenger of the car but was levelled by a single blow to his face - which smashed his eye socket, shattered a cheekbone and broke his jaw in half.

Havering Police are this week asking for the public’s help in finding the attacker – a white man.

“I was knocked out cold for about two to three minutes,” said the victim. “I didn’t see it coming. All I remember is waking up on the ground and seeing a dinner plate-sized pool of blood in front of me. I was bleeding profusely from my nose and mouth.”

A woman passer-by, who the man believes to be aged between 40 and 60, managed to take down the number plate of the car before it sped off, following the incident in High Street, at just after 9.30pm.

“She was very distraught but before she left, she slipped the registration number into my coat pocket,” he said. “Unfortunately, I didn’t get her details.”

The dad-of-one did not realise the extent of his injuries until early the following morning and was taken to hospital by his wife.

He later underwent four-and-a-half hours of surgery during which four titanium plates were inserted to rebuild his shattered face.

The man said: “I want this guy caught and justice done. People shouldn’t be allowed to get away with assaulting people.”

He added: “The surgeon was amazing, there is very little scarring.”

Det Con Lynsey Broom, from Havering Police, said: “This was an unprovoked attack on a defenceless victim, who suffered serious injuries. I urge any witnesses to come forward, especially the unknown good samaritan, who provided the victim with valuable information. Any member of the public should contact Romford Police Station on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”