A GAY man was woken by a punch to the face before his boyfriend was savagely beaten and stretchered off a train on Valentine's Day.

Phil Poole, 35, and his boyfriend of three months Zbynek Zatloukal, 26, were travelling home to Maidenhead after a romantic meal in Reading's Côte Brasserie.

Having both fallen asleep, with Mr Poole's head resting on Mr Zatlouka's shoulder, they missed their stop on the London bound Great Western Railway train.

Reading Chronicle:

Zbynek Zatloukal was left with a suspected broken eye socket

A group of men boarded the train and approached the couple, waking Mr Poole with a punch to the face before beating his boyfriend, he claimed.

“They started smacking me on the face while I was still sat down,” Mr Poole said. 

“I don't know how to defend myself. I was so out of it.

“Zybnek came round and tried to get them off me. He got the brunt of it all.

“They kicked him on the floor.”

The attackers fled when police arrived, leaving Mr Zybnek to be stretchered off the train followed by his boyfriend.

They were taken to Ealing Hospital where the 26 year-old, who works as a private chef for clients including Chelsea Football Club, was treated for a suspected broken eye socket.

Mr Poole lost two teeth in the attack.

“We are both very shaken still,” continued the ice skating coach.

“It is more the mental than the physical damage they have done to us.”

Reading Chronicle:

The couple had been on a date in Reading before the attack.

A statement from British Transport Police read: “We are appealing for information after two men were attacked at Ealing Broadway.

“The incident happened on Wednesday 15 February on a Great Western Railway train at.

“The call came into police at 1.04am.

“The two men were taken to hospital by ambulance after they suffered cuts and bruising.”

Anyone with any information about the incident should contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or 61016 citing reference 30.

The force continue to investigate the incident.