A TERRIFIED teenager says he thought three masked men who kidnapped him from a Gwent street were taking him off to a lonely spot to shoot him.

Richard Egan, a 15-year-old student at Ebbw Vale College, was bundled into a car and driven to Trefil Quarry, where he was beaten unconscious. Richard, who lives in Firth Road, Hilltop, was walking home from college along Ash Tip Road, Ebbw Vale, at 2.30pm on January 5, when the three men struck.

Richard says the men told him he was receiving a late Christmas present - before savagely attacking him at the remote Trefil Quarry, near Tredegar. And his father, also called Richard Egan, told us yesterday: "The only thing he could think when he saw them with balaclavas was that he was being taken to be shot.

"He is still having sleeping problems and was up all night last night." Police continue to investigate the kidnapping and attack on Richard, who was left with a bump "the size of a lightbulb" on his head.

The teenager said: "When I was put in the car I didn't know what was going to happen.

"I was scared and asked them where we were going, and the driver said, 'it's a late Christmas present'.

"He had a Welsh accent. No-one else spoke. I just hope they get caught." He was thrown into a black four-door car with blacked-out rear passenger windows, and a man sat on his chest to keep him still.

Richard was driven for around ten minutes before being dragged out of the car and repeatedly punched by his attackers.

He lost consciousness, but was able to walk down to Trefil village at around 4.45pm, where a man allowed him to use his mobile phone to call for help.

Richard, who competed in the Welsh Schoolboy Boxing Finals last year, sustained facial injuries, including severe swelling to his right eye and right side of his head.

Richard's father said his son was now withdrawn and had not been able to attend his bricklaying and plastering college course or continue his boxing training since the attack.

Mr Egan, 39, said: "When I collected him from Trefil it was like he had two heads, there was a bump the size of a lightbulb on the side of his head.

It's something that will stay with him for the rest of his life. He has become very withdrawn and hasn't been out at all. We have no idea who could have done this, and it's really puzzling us what the motive could be.

"It could be he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, or it's some grievance, but we can't think what would warrant anyone going to that extent."

Detective Constable Blair Jones, of Tredegar CID, said: "We are treating this as kidnapping, as he was taken without consent and was assaulted." DC Jones said he is keen to hear from anyone who knew about the reasons for the attack or may have seen the car on the day in question. Anyone with information is asked to call him on 01495 723162.