We have had our family Christmas pretty much destroyed by two guys who attacked our son just before 9pm last Saturday, just after he left the cash machine at the NatWest Bank in Western Road, Brighton, close to Montpelier Road.

They followed him down Montpelier Road towards the seafront, grabbed him from behind and punched him, knocking out one tooth and fracturing his jaw in two places.

These thugs then marched him back to get more cash from the machine, telling him he would be okay because he would get the money back "on insurance" (totally untrue, of course).

Our son has had to have an operation and will be unable to eat solid food for about six weeks. He will also probably have to be absent from work for some time and will not get paid during his absence. Perhaps the guys who did this think he will be able to get that back on insurance, too.

I guess these people just cannot have had much love in their lives. My heartfelt wish this Christmas is they may one day come to realise the error of their ways and regret their evil actions.

Please, please, everybody, be aware of the potential danger when using cash machines.

If possible, only use them during daylight hours when there are lots of people around and never, ever, walk down a lonely road immediately afterwards.

-Name and address supplied