Ex-mayor and son attacked by racist thugs in London

Pair had to 'fight way out' of bar after unprovoked assault

- MICHAEL O'TOOLE

A FORMER Lord Mayor of Dublin has told how he and his son had to fight for their lives after they were attacked by a racist mob in a London hotel.

Councillor Nial Ring and his son Emmet were assaulted on Tuesday night as they returned from watching Chelsea beat Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League.

Mr Ring was knocked to the ground when a thug hit him on the head with a bottle.

He told Joe Duffy on RTE Radio One's Liveline: "I had to get up because your survival instinct takes over. We literally had to fight our way out of that corner.

"I also have a good few bruises on my knuckles unfortunately. I didn't think at my age I would ever have again.

"Myself and Emmet, we went over to the Chelsea match. I hadn't been there in a good while - I'm a Shels fan first, then Chelsea.

"We went to the match, met a few of the Irish lads there, a bit of craic in the local pubs and that.

"We were on our way back to our hotel and we just popped into the lobby for a pint.

"The two of us were sitting down, Emmet went up to get a drink.

And that, Mr Ring said, was when their ordeal started.

He went on: "I noticed he was having an altercation with a chap.