TWO mystery men may have saved the life of a pub landlord after he was savagely beaten up by a gang. They gave Dennis Clark, of the Three Tuns pub in Canterbury first aid as he lay unconscious on the ground after being punched and kicked.

He suffered a fractured skull in the assault and remains in a serious condition in Kent and Canterbury Hospital.

Police say he confronted the gang in St Margaret's Street in the early hours of Saturday after one of his pub window's was smashed. A friend who was with him was also attacked and has a broken rib.

It happened at about 2.30am when Mr Clark spoke to a group of between six and nine men.

Two men, who police are trying to trace, gave the injured landlord first aid. They cleared his airway and placed him in the recovery position.

Police are studying CCTV footage and have released an image of the group. Not all are thought to have been involved in the assault but police have issued the descriptions of three suspects.

The first is about 6ft 1ins, aged between 21 and 24 with short neat brown hair. He was wearing a white shirt and dark trousers.

The second suspect is about 5ft 10ins, aged 21 to 25 with short, with spikey, blond hair. He was wearing a white shirt with diagonal stripes. The third man is about 5ft 6ins, aged between 18 and 20 year and is dark-skinned.

PC David Wilson said: "I am keen to speak to the men who helped the victim. They may well have saved his life. But if anyone has information they should contact me on 012277 762055 or Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111."

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