POLICE are appealing for witnesses after a Harlow man was viciously attacked by burglars as he returned home.

The 47-year-old man noticed something amiss as he approached the front door of his Felmongers home at around 1.30am on Sunday, and saw a small glass door panel had been smashed.

On opening the front door, the man, who lives at the address with his son, was confronted by one or two men and hit over the head with an unknown instrument or a fist.

He suffered a cut above his eye, causing a black eye and swelling, but did not need hospital treatment.

Police said nothing appeared to have been stolen.

Now detectives are urging anybody who may have seen anything suspicious to get in touch after the men ran off towards First Avenue.

Det Con Sally Brown said: 'The attack happened so quickly that we do not even know whether there was one or two men in his home.

'I'd be interested to hear from anybody who may have seen anything suspicious in the First Avenue area or any residents who may have heard a disturbance in their garden during the night.'