Donation for attack victim

A New Zealand woman and her British husband have donated £2000 ($5226) to an appeal for a former Kerikeri forestry worker beaten insensible on Guernsey in the Channel Islands, the Guernsey Press reports.

Fred Lundon, 33, was found lying in a pool of blood outside a fish'n'chip shop on July 8. Detectives are still seeking his assailant.

Mr Lundon spent several days on life support at Southampton, but was then transferred to a hospital on Guernsey. He is now at home with his British wife Sharon, 34, and 2-year-old daughter, Sophie.

The newspaper reported that Mr Lundon might never fully recover from his horrific head injuries, and with two former New Zealanders, Tony and Glenis Lowndes, set up an appeal fund.

Mrs Lowndes said there was no victim-support fund in Guernsey. She urged islanders to write to their politicians to remedy this.

The newspaper donated £1000 and the New Zealand woman and her husband - who want to remain anonymous - have topped up the collection to almost £4500.

The woman said she felt she had to help her fellow countryman.

It is still unclear when Mr Lundon will be able to return to work.

"Fred's still getting bad headaches and he still gets really tired," said his wife, who met Mr Lundon when touring New Zealand.

They moved to Guernsey in 2002.

Mr Lundon will have a CT scan in a few weeks so doctors can determine whether the head injuries will lead to more problems.

- NZPA