A GWENT police officer attacked by three men while on patrol said last night: "I feared for my life".

PC Jonathan Ellis, 29, (pictured) who lives in Mardy, Abergavenny, with his wife Sarah and their two young sons, was on mobile patrol on Sunday night when he saw the sidelights of a car at Wernddu Golf Club on the outskirts of Abergavenny.

He was attacked, had his head slammed against a van and suffered head injuries. He said: "I was very frightened because I was alone and in a remote area. I was frightened for my life."

He described how the attack unfolded: "I saw one man looking into the windows of a Transit van and there were two others sitting in the back of an Audi car.

"I spoke to the man and said I was doing a vehicle check on their car. Suddenly I was grabbed from behind by the other two men and they rammed me against the side of the van, hitting my head.

"I punched the one I had been talking to as he came towards me with fists clenched and the other two dragged me to the floor and kicked and punched me to the upper body." He said he was frightened during the attack because he was alone and in a remote area. He was left with two fractured knuckles, a head injury and bruising to his ribs, and was detained in the town's Nevill Hall Hospital for 36 hours.

He deliberately did not tell his wife, but when he was detained in hospital a police sergeant was sent to tell her at 3.30am.

The plucky policeman added: "They banged my head against the van a few times but I managed to get my baton out and they sped off in the car."

He lost consciousness for two minutes, but as soon as he came around he radioed for help and another police vehicle was on the scene within minutes.

He managed to give a detailed description of the man he spoke to and said he had a strong Herefordshire accent.

The man is described as being in his mid-20s with thin features and slim build, about 5ft 8ins tall with collar length black hair combed forward with a wet gel-look fringe. Inspector Harry Gamlin, of Pontypool CID, described it as a "cowardly attack" on a lone police officer who was doing his duty.

Police are asking for anyone with information about the transit van or the Audi car to contact them at Pontypool police station on 01495 764711.