Thugs beat a man as he waited for the Hands of Love mission in Warwick to open so he could get shoes.

The 43-year-old occasional volunteer from Southampton was sitting on his bike when he was attacked from behind by two men who beat him around the head and body at around 4.40 p.m. last Monday.

At one point one of the pair used a piece of wood to assault the construction worker who was taken to hospital for treatment to cuts and bruising, according to a Police report.

Hands of Love organiser Fern Wade said a neighbour had seen the attackers use a crash helmet.

?I don?t know what happened. He knocked off work and came looking for a pair of shoes. I never usually have a problem. I don?t know what happened. He?s a peaceful man, quiet, and doesn?t bother anyone. I don?t have a clue why he was attacked.

?He comes in and helps out occasionally with folding clothes.?

She said it was not at all unusual for working people to use her mission to get clothing. Those stopping by include hotel workers waiting for the season to start, homeless people and single parents.

?We get foreigners, we don?t discriminate. Anyone can come. We don?t get people with BMWs and Mercedes shopping. They normally drop off.?

She said the Camp Hill location wasn?t violent.

The attackers fled on a blue Yamaha bike after the attack.

Police are looking for a six foot tall, slim, light-skinned male, 20 to 25 years old, who was clean shaven with short curly hair.

He was wearing red track-suit type pants, a red and white track suit top and a baseball cap.

The other man was a slim, brown-skinned male 20 to 25 years old, five feet ten inches tall, with shoulder-length plaited hair. He was wearing jeans and a dark top.

Witnesses or those with information should call Somerset CID on 234-1010.