A man has branded his attackers cowards after he was repeatedly kicked in the head in a homophobic attack.

Ricardo Saroyan-James was attacked early on Wednesday after a night out in Brighton.

The 29-year-old had been clubbing at the Revenge venue and walked home by himself to his flat in St James's Street.

Half an hour after arriving home he decided to go for a walk around Kemp Town.

He was attacked as he walked up George Road and into Bristol Street.

He said: "I was just walking along listening to my Walkman when two men approached me from the other side of the road.

"One of the men walked towards me and said, 'Sorry mate, I'm going to have to beat you up.'

"Of course, I didn't understand so I asked him what he meant and he said, 'I have to beat you up because you're gay and my friend said I have to beat you up'.

"I said, 'Look let's just leave it alone. I don't know who you are and I've never done anything to you'.

"But he did a Kung Fu-style flying kick at my head and his friend came at me as well. It all went hazy as I was kicked unconscious on the ground."

A passer-by saw the attackers running away and called an ambulance.

Mr Saroyan-James was taken to the Royal Sussex Hospital with cuts to the head, chipped teeth and a broken nose.

He needed 26 stitches in his head.

Friends from south London, where he currently lives, came and picked him up in the afternoon to take him home.

Mr Saroyan-James, who lived in Brighton for two years and worked at Brighton University on Grand Parade, said: "Any homophobic attack is pathetic. I only weigh eight stone and I was all alone minding my own business.

"If people don't like me because I'm gay then they should just leave me alone and mind their own business.

"Brighton has a very mixed population and I've never experienced anything like this before.

"I have a lot of scarring on my head and serious damage to my nose and teeth. It will heal, but it's very vicious. I just hope they get caught and they go down.

"They must have had blood on their clothes and boots because my jacket and trousers were soaked with blood."