Creech St Michael farmer Chris Pine injured in rock attack

Chris Pine, age 70, suffered a deep cut above his ear in the field in North End and was taken to hospital, where doctors stapled the wound.

The incident kicked off at around 6pm on Saturday (May 7), when Mr Pine was hit in the face by a clump of dirt thrown by the stranger.

The dog walker then incorrectly told Mr Pine he had no right to work the field before throwing the rock and running off with his dog.

Mr Pine's wife Jane said he was left with blood gushing down the side of his head.

She said: "Without any provocation or anything else, this walker threw dirt at him as he was driving past, so he stopped to ask, 'What's the problem?' to find out why he'd done this.

"He was then told, 'Don't plough the footpath', which of course he wasn't - he does everything 100 per cent correctly.

'We rent the field so in a sense you're even more careful with what you do."

Mrs Pine added: "He (the dog walker) picked up a rock - and there are rocks there the size of your hand - and threw it at my husband's head, then he ran off.

"If my husband had been looking maybe two inches the other way he'd have had his eye out."

She said the culpritwas slim, in his mid 30s and had dark hair around the sides and was thinning on top.

An Avon and Somerset Police spokesperson said: "We are investigating after a rock was thrown at a man driving a tractor in a field in Creech St Michael at around 6pm on Saturday 7 May.

"The rock struck the tractor driver on the head resulting in an injury which required hospital treatment.

"The offender ran off after throwing the rock."

The culprit is described as white and aged in his 30s.

He was wearing a black top and shorts and had a grey Staffordshire Bull Terrier-type dog with him.

House to house enquiries have been carried out.

Officers are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or who recognises the description of the offender to contact police on 101 quoting reference number 5222108016.