Oldham pensioner Derek Laidlaw, 70, viciously beaten after asking man not to urinate on partner's wall

Police in Oldham have released a shocking photograph of a 70-year-old pensioner who was viciously assaulted by a man believed to be a total stranger after asking the assailant to stop urinating on his partner's wall. Derek Laidlaw challenged the man outside his partner's home in Failsworth at about 10.45pm on Saturday night (2 July). The man then pinned him against a wall and punched him repeatedly in the face, even continuing the brutal attack when Laidlaw was on the ground.

Laidlaw was left with severe facial injuries following the frenzied assault by the man, who only stopped when another passerby intervened and dragged him off. The mystery man then ran off towards Kew Road. The suspect is described as white, of a stocky/muscular build and in his late 40s or early 50s, with dark hair and dark eyebrows. He wore dark clothing on the night of the attack.

Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Detective Constable Kelly Bragg said: "This is a horrendous act of brutality that has left a man with severe injuries to his face. I'm hoping that by issuing this photograph, people will see the true extent of Derek's injuries and want to work with us to bring his attacker to justice. If anyone knows a man fitting this description, who may have been in the area at the time, please get in touch with us."

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call contact police on 101 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. You can also visit the Crimestoppers website.

Oldham was named England's poorest town by the Office for National Statistic (ONS) in March 2016. The official study found that Oldham contained the highest proportion of deprived areas with West Bromwich second and Liverpool third. The survey took into account factors such as income, employment, health, education, skills and training and crime.