A taxi driver had part of his ear bitten off in an attack by three passengers.

Father-of-three Mohammed Zameer, 38, picked up the men from a pub in Wibsey but an argument developed about the route he was taking.

He pulled up his taxi and told the men he was refusing to take them any further. He tried to call for help but they ripped out his radio.

He was then punched and had the top of his ear bitten off in the vicious assault, he said.

It is the second time Mr Zameer, who now faces plastic surgery, has been attacked and he is now thinking of giving up his taxi-driving job after 14 years.

Mr Zameer, of Allerton, Bradford, said: "I was about to turn into Thorncroft Road at Buttershaw from Wibsey roundabout when they started shouting loudly and making me jump as I was trying to drive. When I asked them to quieten down, one of them threatened to bite my ear.

"I pulled up the car and told them I could not take them any further because they were making trouble.

"The next minute, one of the men in the back grabbed me and bit my ear, while another one opened my door and started punching me.

"I tried to call for help on the radio but they ripped it out to stop me. I started tooting my horn and they ran off.

"A chunk from the top of my ear, about one and a half inches wide, was completely bitten off. I don't know what happened to it. It was very, very painful, I was in agony. I will have to have plastic surgery and will be scarred for life."

Mr Zameer, a driver for A1 Taxis at Odsal, added: "I was attacked once before but not as badly as this. I have been a taxi driver for 14 years but I am thinking of giving it up after this. If I can find another job which is safer I will pack it in. Driving taxis in Bradford is dangerous."

Fazal Ali, manager of A1 Taxis, said: "I took a distress call from the driver and put a call out to the other drivers to go to his assistance and called the police."

It was one of two attacks on taxi drivers at the weekend.

In the other incident, a 42-year-old cabbie was sprayed in the face with an unknown substance by a gang who robbed him of cash.

He had picked up three men in his taxi at Brookfield Road, Barkerend, at 10.30pm on Saturday and had driven them to Otley Road, behind the East Ward Labour Club, when he was attacked. He suffered minor cuts and bruises.

The A1 taxi driver was attacked at 12.15am on Sunday after picking up three men from the Windmill pub in Wibsey.

Mr Ali said the three attackers ran off into Wibsey Park after the assault and, after a search by his drivers and the police, one was arrested.

He said: "The rest of the drivers are concerned for their safety. We provide a public service to get people home but if incidents like this carry on happening drivers may give up their jobs and where would that leave the public?

"A dog wouldn't do something like this to a human being. Drivers put themselves at risk for the public and they need some co-operation from them.

"There are a lot of decent people who simply want to use the service we provide. But the minority who treat drivers like this need to be highlighted."

He added: "The police responded very quickly and they have taken the taxi away for forensic examination. They are doing everything they can about these problems, but people need to know what is going on."

A spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said: "We are investigating an alleged assault on a man in Thorncroft Road, at Buttershaw, in the early hours of Sunday.

"The victim suffered a bite injury to his ear.

"A man aged 21 has been arrested on suspicion of causing grievous bodily harm and has been released on police bail pending further inquiries.

"Inquiries are ongoing and we are appealing to any witnesses or anyone with information to contact Bradford Central Police on (01274) 376459.