A 71-YEAR-OLD driver suffered a broken nose when a thug pulled open his car door and launched a "savage" road rage attack.
Michael Harris had stopped at traffic lights when a man leapt out of a white van behind him.
The attacker smashed his fist into Mr Harris's side window before yanking open the driver's door and punching him in the face.
Mr Harris, a businessman from Etwall, was left with blood pouring down his shirt after the daylight attack at the junction of Ascot Drive and Osmaston Road, Derby.
He said: "It all happened so fast, I didn't really know what was going on. He flew out of the van, got in the car and smacked me. There was blood everywhere, I was in such a daze.
"I was just sat in my car still with my seatbelt on. My shirt and trousers were covered in blood and it was all over the cream seats of my car. I was just in shock."
Mr Harris said the van driver had sounded his horn and attempted to overtake him before he pulled up at the red light.
The doors of his BMW were locked but he said the man pulled at the handle with such force that they sprung open.
He said: "I was leaving work from Dunstall Park Road when there was a gap in the traffic so I pulled out on to Ascot Drive. Then this van accelerated up behind me and started blowing his horn constantly.
"He was trying to get past me and in front of my car; I don't know why. I was just driving along."
Mr Harris said that after the attacker punched him, he got back into his van and drove off.
People who had witnessed the incident came to his aid. He said: "There were passers-by who saw what happened and they came to my rescue very quickly. I couldn't do anything because of the blood. Some very kind people who saw it happening got some video footage of the van speeding away and the registration number.
"I'm black and blue and still in pain with my nose."
Mr Harris, who works alongside his son, Carl, drove back to his office and told his son what had happened.
Carl said: "He came back in and we couldn't believe it.
"We knew he had to go to the hospital. This attack happened in broad daylight in the middle of the afternoon and the brute who carried it out needs to be caught.
"No-one can carry out such a savage attack and get away with it. We want it to be highlighted and warn people that this is happening."
The incident happened at 2.50pm on Wednesday and police are investigating. Officers are reviewing CCTV images taken from businesses in the area. A police spokesman said: "This was a nasty, unprovoked incident that has left the victim very shaken.
"We treat road rage incidents very seriously and our inquiries into what happened are continuing.
"I would urge anyone who witnessed the assault to contact police as soon as possible as any information they have could be vital."
