A labourer who stepped in to help a shopper being abused outside a supermarket ended up in hospital after the thugs turned on him.

Krys Wallace, 23, spent three days in hospital undergoing operations for a fractured cheek and three broken ribs after the attack outside his local grocery store.

He has been off work for three weeks and is still nursing his injuries at home in Worthing.

Mr Wallace says he did not touch any of the attackers. He simply said "Leave it alone" when he saw someone picking on another man who had been shopping.

Those words led him to being punched until he fell to the floor, while his attackers kicked him and even stamped on his face.

Mr Wallace had popped round the corner to the Spar shop by the level crossing in South Farm Road, Worthing, at about 7pm on November 18 after getting in from work.

He heard a man who had been drinking arguing with shop staff but did not take much notice.

When he got outside the same man was picking on another shopper who was with his girlfriend.

Mr Wallace said: "Apparently, the drunk man had taken offence because he had been refused service and the couple had pushed in front of him at the till because they were fed up with him delaying the cashier.

"Outside, the argument continued. The man had been joined by two friends, who started abusing the couple and pushing them about.

"I just said 'leave it alone' to one of the guys. I did not lay a finger on him.

"They jumped on me. I put my shopping down and as I looked up I was hit in the face. I fell to the ground and they started kicking and punching me, even stamping on my face.

"All three attackers ran off - they even took my shopping. The bloke I had been trying to help helped me along with the ambulance crew and shop staff. I did not realise he had also been hit and had a split lip."

A bleeding and bruised Mr Wallace went back into the Spar shop from where an ambulance and police were called.

At first he was treated at Worthing Hospital but because his cheek injuries were so serious he was transferred to St Richard's Hospital, Chichester, where he spent the weekend and had operations on his face.

Mr Wallace said: "One minute, I was just trying to calm things down, the next I was on the ground being kicked and punched.

"I would say the same thing again if I saw someone being abused in a similar way. My boss was really sympathetic because he once intervened to help someone being attacked and was beaten up."

Police are appealing for witnesses to the attack. They believe there were a number of people waiting in the area because the barriers on the nearby railway line were down.

PC Richard Clark said: "This was a vicious attack on a man who came to quell a fight and has received serious injuries."

One of the offenders, in his late 20s to early 30s, was distinctive in a red zip-up hooded top and blue Nike baseball cap.

Anyone with information should call PC Clark at Worthing on 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.