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Karl the caveman's efforts see off Stourbridge thugs

He may have looked like he had just stepped out of a Flintstones movie but Karl Stephenson was a Good Samaritan in disguise. Dressed as a caveman with an inflatable club, he rushed to the aid of a man being beaten up in Stourbridge.

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His surprising appearance

. The 30-year-old tree surgeon from Hagley was shown on CCTV footage from the High Street released by police last week in a bid to trace the men responsible for the assault.

The footage showed the victim being pushed to the ground before his attacker rains blows on his face and continues to kick him in the head.

Mr Stephenson said he had been at The Mitre Inn in Lower High Street with a group of friends on the night of the assault, October 27.

They had decided to wear fancy dress because it was almost Halloween – and he opted to dress up as a 'dead caveman'. The group left the pub at around 1.30am on the Saturday night, and as Mr Stephenson left the premises he saw the attack.

He said: "For some reason my friends went out the front door and I went out the back. That's when I saw the man being kicked. There were three men attacking him. I wanted them to stop so I went over and asked them what they were doing."

Mr Stephenson told how one of the men then dragged the main attacker away.

"One of my friends called the police and ambulance to help the injured man.

"It was really horrible. It was one of those moments where I was thinking 'was that real?' I couldn't believe it had happened. The man was badly injured but I am glad he's recovering well," he said.

He said the release of the CCTV video by the police had come as a surprise.

"The first thing I knew about it was when my sister text me to say she had heard it on the radio.

"I couldn't believe it when I saw the video," said Mr Stephenson. Anyone who can help with the investigation is urged to contact West Midlands Police on 101.

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