A CYCLIST has been attacked with an axe and strangled with his helmet strap as he made his way to work across the Eston Hills, near Middlesbrough.

Harry Alexander took a short cut across to the Eston Nab yesterday morning, Thursday, when he was attacked by a group of men.

He was attacked with an axe handle and kicked in the face.

He said: "Lads turned up as I was wheeling back, escorted me with a beating, a few axe handles to the legs, strangled with my helmet strap while I was down, a few kicks to the face and one of them shouted "enough, get him gone now boys'."

He said he was then kicked in the ribs with a steel toe cap, before being threatened.

Mr Alexander's bike was "battered" and his Garmin sat nav destroyed.

He was later treated in hospital for his injuries.

Cleveland Police confirmed it had received a report of an assault on Eston Nab yesterday and was investigating.