CAR lust may have provoked a savage act of road rage that left a teenager dazed and bleeding in a deserted Ipswich gutter.The senseless beating, more like a scene from a Los Angeles car jacking than a quiet Suffolk lane, left the 19-year-old in hospital with temporary loss of vision.

CAR envy is today being blamed for a savage act of road rage that left a Suffolk teenager dazed and bleeding in a gutter.

The senseless beating put the 19-year-old in hospital with temporary loss of vision.

Shane Cheshire, of Chandos Drive, Martlesham, is today recovering after two men kicked and punched him to the ground after running his souped-up Astra off the road.

He was left blinded by attackers driving a black Golf GTI car who dragged him from his car after his automatic locks failed in Playford Road at around 10.30pm on Tuesday.

The mindless attack came after the Golf trailed him along Woodbridge Road for a couple of miles, driving up to Mr Cheshire's bumper and then braking.

Mr Cheshire, a dock master at Woolverstone Marina, said: "I saw them pull out into Woodbridge Road and pull up behind me at the Sidegate Lane traffic lights. They were close to my bumper so I couldn't see their headlights but I could tell they were flashing me. I thought one of my brake lights must have gone.

"Then the car followed me as I pulled away from the traffic lights. He kept coming up close to me and then braking really sharply. Every time I thought he was going to hit me he backed off."

It was only when Mr Cheshire, on his way home to Martlesham, decided to turn left to see if the car continued to follow him that the terror really started.

"The car followed me into Playford Road and then kept trying to overtake, pushing me into the bank."

When he slowed down, hoping the Golf

driver would overtake, he had another shock.

The two men pulled in front of him, got out of their car and walked towards the terrified

former Kesgrave school student.

Mr Cheshire, guessing they wanted to hijack his car, tried to activate its automatic locks.

When the locks failed, the total strangers dragged him out of the car and kicked and punched him to the ground.

"They didn't speak much other than to tell me that I 'deserved a good kicking'. I was trying to cover my face to protect it but they kicked me and punched me in the side of my head.

"I didn't know either of them. They were in their mid 20s, black with chubby faces and dressed in baggy clothes.

"It was all so sudden. I couldn't believe that one minute I was driving along and a minute later I was on the ground being beaten up."

Mr Cheshire had no idea why the pair had picked on him. He said: "I thought they must be stealing my car, but they left without taking anything at all. Even my phone fell out during the attack and they just left it.

"I didn't get the car's registration number. It's difficult to concentrate when someone is kicking you in the head.

"I couldn't see after the attack because of the kicks to my head."

He had noticed the car's make – a Mark 2 – and the fact the tyres were a specialist make called TSW Venoms.

Customised car envy may be at the heart of the seemingly motiveless attack.

Mr Cheshire's car appears on www.cruisinipswich.co.uk, a high-perfomance cars website, and he is a regular at customised-car rallies, the last of which was a fortnight ago in Thetford.

He said: "I keep asking myself if there was anything I could have done to upset them. But I did nothing. I didn't even honk them. If they were jealous of my car, why didn't they steal it?"

Police are keen to talk to anyone who may have seen a black Golf GTI in the Woodbridge Road area late on Tuesday night.

A police spokeswoman said: "The car's description is distinctive because of the tyres. If anyone knows the owner, we would urge them to come forward."

Now Mr Cheshire, who has spent hundreds of pounds on his beloved white Astra, known as Bertha, is contemplating selling.

He said: "I just spent £300 on the suspension. The car is distinctive and well known in the area, especially because of the alloy wheels. Maybe someone recognised it. My nan has told me after the attack that I have to get rid of it. She might be right."

The first man is about 5ft 6in, of slim build, with short hair and wearing a hooded top, blue jeans and white trainers.

The second is about 6ft, of medium build, with a shaven head and a chubby face. He was wearing a cream hooded top, black trousers and white trainers.

Police are appealing for anybody with information relating to this incident to contact Woodbridge police on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.