A mother who was disowned by her two sons after she shopped them to the police for a vicious assault met the man they attacked today.

Carol Saldinack, 51, said she became an outcast from her family after sending her sons Luke Newman, 27, and Oliver Clark, 24, to jail for the vicious assault.

The pair, along with a third man, 25-year-old Benjamin Hammond, were jailed for two years at Chichester Crown Court last month for grievous bodily harm.

The attack on father-of-two Marc Parkinson, 36, outside a takeaway after a night drinking in Chichester, left him with extensive injuries.

Today, as company director Mr Parkinson and Mrs Saldinack met up, he praised her courage for turning in her sons to the police.

Sitting beside her, he told GMTV: "I wanted to meet her because I have been watching her on the TV sat by herself for the last few days and I think she's a very brave and courageous lady. I wanted to give her a hug."

Mr Parkinson said he would have done exactly the same thing if any one of his sons had attacked someone. He has even invited Mrs Saldinack on holiday with his family.

He said: "I know that drink plays a big part and drink turns men into monsters. I think that's what happened that night.

"For a couple of minutes of uncontrollable anger, it has created all this for themselves."

He added: "I could forgive them but I think they have got to forgive their mum first."

Mrs Saldinack, who now lives in Norfolk, said her wish is to be reunited with her family and grandchildren. She said: "What mother wouldn't?"

Mr Parkinson was left with a detached retina, extensive cuts and bruising, a perforated eardrum and bruised ribs. He is now blind in one eye, his business has folded and he has been forced to sell his home to pay off debts.

His wife Debbie told GMTV: "The court case was closure to a point and obviously meeting Carol has been emotional but, of course, he now has the decision about his eye. Does he have it removed?

"The main thing here, thanks to Carol, he can now have closure."

Mother-of-six Mrs Saldinack said she was trembling with nerves as she picked up the telephone to call police after hearing her sons brag about beating an innocent man.

Despite now living in fear from threats, she insists she has no regrets and has urged others to do the same.