"I have been in the ring with a lot of scary people, but I thought: 'this kid is really going to kill me'."

That was the reaction of Aaron Hanley, a former kick-boxer, who was attacked by a gang of eight teenagers while working on his new butcher's shop in Millbrook Square, Grove, on Bank Holiday Monday.

The 28-year-old was renovating the shop at 6pm with his wife Beverley, 25, parents Paul, 55, and Kathy, 50, and friends Mark, 29, and Kelly, 27, Shelford when a gang of 14 to 17-year-olds approached.

They shouted abuse at Mr Hanley and then kicked the unlocked shop door open in an unprovoked attack.

When he told them to go away, one of the lads was pushed into Mr Hanley, who was kneeling on the floor at the time, by another of the youths.

The other boy then jumped on top and punched Mr Hanley several times. Mr Hanley said: "They looked drunk and like they were on drugs. One of the kids was really buzzing - I wouldn't be surprised if they'd had a cocktail of both.

"I have been in the ring with a lot of scary people, but I thought this kid is really going to kill me. My dad and friends had to drag them off."

The group left, but returned 10 minutes later, when one punched the shop window three times, smashing the glass.

Police have confirmed they are investigating the attack, but said no arrests had been made.

Mr Hanley, who previously worked at a butchers near Swindon, said his life savings had gone into the shop.

He said: "It makes me more wary when I do see a group of kids. They stroll around in their big groups and think they are untouchable - and most of them are."