AN 81-year-old man was rushed to hospital on Sunday morning after being violently mugged while walking to Hampstead Heath.

Brian Haddon, a retired psychotherapist with early onset dementia who lives in Highgate Hill, was on his way to play petanque in Parliament Hill Fields when he was attacked. His watch and wallet was stolen.

His son Gez, a sports teacher at University College School, explained that his father doesn’t recall anything that happened between 9am and 12pm that day, but that he was following his usual weekend routine that morning.

“I think he was walking up a side alley to Parliament Hill Fields. He said the next thing he knew he was battered and picked himself up off the floor and he jumped on a bus and went back home again,” Gez said.

“He got back home looking like he had been beaten to high heaven. His eye was black and blue after being smacked. He’s got lots of cuts and bruises on his forehead. The ridge of his nose must have been smacked very hard as well because he’s got a big scab on it.”

Doctors at the Whittington said to Gez that “he was lucky to keep his eyesight because one of his eyes was really badly smashed”. Mr Haddon is still “umming and ahhing” about whether to continue playing boules after the incident.

“He’s got such a loving character. He always wants to look for the best in people. I’m forever telling him not to get his wallet out in front of strangers. It’s hard because you want to make him a bit more street savvy. But at the same time, you want to also keep that loving nature of his to enjoy the company of anyone and everyone,” Gez said.

A police spokesperson said: “Officers have received a report of robbery and are carrying out further enquiries to establish the circumstances.

“No arrests have been made and anyone with information that could help the investigation is asked to call 101 quoting CAD 1635/07Nov.”