A BRAVE blind man has told how he fought off two cowardly muggers who tried to rob him in a Basingstoke subway.

Paul Dolton, 53, had been to Asda in Brighton Hill, for a coffee and was walking home with his guide dog Webster when two teenagers approached him in the subway at the top of Gershwin Road at about 12.30pm last Thursday.

Mr Dolton, who is registered blind but has a tiny bit of sight in his left eye, said: “They asked me for money and my mobile telephone. The one in front had something in his hand. He slashed my face with it and I punched him.”

One of the teenagers swore and went to help his friend, but Mr Dolton managed to push both muggers up against the wall.

Mr Dolton said: “It was my money and it was my phone. Why should I give them away?”

The cowardly duo ran off towards Asda and, with blood running down his face, Mr Dolton returned to his home in Brighton Hill to call the police.

He thinks he hit the one teenager in the middle of the face and the police told him the youth could have suffered a broken nose, given the amount of blood on Mr Dolton.

Webster, a 20-month-old black Labrador retriever cross, was unhurt.

“I was very scared,” said Mr Dolton, “It's disgusting - if they can pick on someone like me, they can pick on anyone.”

And he vowed to keep going down to the shops for his coffee.

He said: “I have never had any problems with anyone around here. I don't see why I should sit indoors and worry about kids like them.”

PC Kate Towerton, of Basingstoke Targeted Patrol Team, said: “This was a despicable act by two cowardly offenders.

“The incident happened during the day in a busy area of Brighton Hill near to the Asda store.

“Someone may have witnessed the incident or seen two men matching the descriptions in the area at the time.”

One man is described as black, 5ft 4in with short black hair. He wore white tracksuit bottoms and a red or burgundy top.

The other was white, 5ft 4in and wearing a black baseball cap back-to-front.

Anyone with information can contact PC Towerton on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.