Police have issued a warning to pensioners after an 84-year-old man was bound with his tie and knocked unconscious by a teenage gang.

The man was set upon after answering the door to a girl, thought to be as young as 12, who called at his home in Seaford at 5pm on Saturday. She and her friends forced their way in through the back door and launched a ferocious attack on the frail pensioner, who lives alone.

He was knocked unconscious with a blow to the head and had his hands bound with the tie he had been wearing. His attackers ripped the telephone line from the wall to stop him calling for help.The man came round to find the gang had fled and he raised the alarm.

He suffered minor injuries and shock but did not need hospital treatment. The victim was not named by Sussex, who operate data protection guidelines. The attack happened in a quiet area of the seaside town which has a high number of elderly residents.

It is not clear whether anything was stolen and police say they cannot confirm whether the girl's accomplices were also children.

A warning has been issued to elderly and vulnerable residents in the town in the hope of preventing further attacks. Det Con Ruth Eady of Seaford police said: "I think it is important that people are aware of this incident.

"It's a new tactic that this particular group of people are using and we are extremely anxious to find those responsible."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Con Eady on 0845 60 70 999.

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