A grandfather was beaten up so badly in the street he cannot work because of his injuries.

Chris Watts has a cracked rib and cannot open one eye since the attack late on Saturday night.

Police have questioned three US Air Force servicemen over the assault.

After leaving friends outside the Funkyfish Club in Marine Parade, Brighton, Mr Watts walked into Old Steine at about 12.30am and started sending a text message to a friend.

He told The Argus: "The next memory I have is having my head in a paramedic's lap."

Mr Watts later learned he had been knocked down and kicked on the ground.

Police saw him and stepped in to break up the attack.

Three men, aged 22, 25 and 26, all US Air Force personnel based in Suffolk, were arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm.

They were interviewed before being released on bail until July.

Mr Watts, 45, of Fairway Crescent, Portslade, has three children and two grandchildren and runs Spraybuild in Ryde Road, Brighton.

His eye injury means he cannot work because so much of his job involves precision tasks like welding.

He said: "My eye is opening up slowly. I think it is pretty awful. I am just lucky I was not more seriously hurt."

Mr Watts had scans to find out if he had broken any facial bones.

Doctors originally thought he had a fractured eye socket.

He suffered a cracked rib under one of his arms.

He had to return to hospital on Monday because he was coughing up blood.

Anyone who saw the attack should call Sussex Police on 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.