A MAN standing for election was left bleeding badly after being attacked outside Bradford’s City Hall.

Paul Parkins, an independent standing for Bradford East under the tagline 'Better for Bradford', said a man who had been “randomly attacking people” in the city centre struck him on the head with a blunt object, believed to be a glass bottle or piece of metal, before fleeing.

Mr Parkins said he had been in City Hall for a candidates’ meeting with returning officer Kersten England and the police about the arrangements for the forthcoming General Election.

He then stayed in the city centre for around an hour before realising he was expected home and was “probably going to be slightly in trouble with the wife”.

He said he was walking through Norfolk Gardens at around 6pm on Friday, when a stranger walking past lashed out unexpectedly.

“I wasn’t braced for impact, we were just two people walking past each other," he said.

“As soon as I got past, I just felt this blow to the side of my head.”

Mr Parkins, a businessman from Apperley Bridge, said the attacker ran off and he “stumbled on a little bit”, while witnesses called the police and flagged down some nearby officers.

He said: “I was a bit dazed, to be honest. I was a bit disorientated.”

Mr Parkins was taken to the police station in Centenary Square.

He received medical care from paramedics and was advised to go to Accident and Emergency, but decided against this.

Mr Parkins said according to witnesses, the same man had tried to attack at least two other people, and he didn’t think he had been targeted because he was an election candidate.

“It was deliberate, but the guy seemed to be randomly attacking people," he said.

“I’m pretty sure I wasn’t targeted specifically.”

Mr Parkins said the wound had bled a lot but hadn’t needed stitches and was now healing well.

He said: “Most of the blow was on my ear. I’m quite fortunate to have big ears, so that took quite a lot of the blow.”

Mr Parkins said the police had been very helpful but the incident had underlined his wish to campaign against cuts to police budgets.

He said: “I think they do a good job but they have just been cut back and cut back. I just think they have gone too far now.”

- Police have charged a 41-year-old man with assault. He has been bailed to appear at court next month.