A DRIVER needed hospital treatment after being knocked out by another motorist, say police.

Officers are trying to piece together what caused the incident in which a man pulled up on a dual carriageway, forced the car behind to stop, got out and punched the other man, who had also left his car, to the ground.

The unconscious victim, who was assisted by other motorists who stopped at the scene, was “covered in blood and abrasions”.

The attacker returned to his vehicle, mounted a grass verge to round a car which had tried to cut off his escape, and drove off.

Barry Nowlan witnessed the attack on the A358 out of Taunton just before the traffic lights at Thornfalcon at 10.45am on Sunday (February 3).

He said: “A man driving a small commercial vehicle suddenly stopped in the carriageway, forcing the car behind to stop.

The car driver got out as well, and the first man just went up to him and thumped him in the face.

“The victim fell on his face on the road and was unconscious for a while.

“When he came round he was groggy, in tears, covered in blood and abrasions, and couldn’t recall anything.

“I pulled across to try to stop the attacker driving off, but he mounted the grass verge and headed off towards Langport.

“A couple of cars stopped and formed a barrier to protect the victim on the ground.”

A witness noted the attacker’s registration number and police plan to interview a man from Hampshire.

The victim was taken by ambulance to Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, and released later the same day.

Police have appealed for witnesses to contact them on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800-555111.