POLICE are hunting a woman and three men after a man with learning difficulties was repeatedly kicked and punched in a “vicious and unprovoked” street attack.

The victim was returning from the shops after buying chocolate on Friday evening at around 8.20pm when he was “taunted” and beaten by a gang by Trafalgar Roundabout in Truro.

The investigating officer said the victim had been left “devastated and anxious” and appealed for witnesses.

PC Kim James, from Devon and Cornwall Police, told the BBC: “It was a vicious and unprovoked attack by a female and three males in their late teens or early 20s.

He was wearing a grey hat which the woman took off him and was taunting him. When he tried to get it back he was pushed to the ground by one of the males who punched him to the head and chest up to 20 times.”

Witnesses told the police the man was also repeatedly kicked in the chest and put in a headlock.

She said: “It's disgusting that a vulnerable member of the community has been treated in this way.”

Police asked anybody who saw the attack to get in touch by calling 101.