A TAXI driver who was attacked without warning said his assailant kicked his head "like a football" - all because of a 60 pence waiting charge.

Police have joined Richard Jackson in condemning the attacker who struck a blow to his face and then kicked him as he lay on the ground.

The 50-year-old intends to raise the issue of violence at tonight's Private Hire Drivers' Association meeting.

The latest incident happened just before 10pm on Sunday when the private hire taxi driver arrived at an address in Walker Driver, off Foxwood Lane, York, shortly before the requested 9.45pm pick-up and beeped his horn.

At 9.50pm, a woman from the property came out and said she would "get the others".

"Three to four minutes later a man came out and put a pushchair in my boot. I got out to help him.

"He saw my mobile phone which was in a holder and lit up in the car. He thought it was the meter and said you can switch that off'.

"I said it was my mobile but, because he was being argumentative, I thought I had better mention there was going to be waiting time to pay for - but just three minutes, so 60 pence," said Mr Jackson, from the Foxwood area of York.

"The next thing I knew he punched me. I don't know if he knocked me to the floor or I fell. Then there were four or five kicks to my head.

"I was assaulted for 60 pence. He used my head like a football."

The offender made off when two women came out of the house, he said.

"I was on the floor, protecting my head. I then got in the car, locked the doors and phoned the police.

"I am just lucky he didn't have a knife. I had a bruised lip, and now have very sore shoulders, aches and pains.

"I am just a taxi driver going to pick someone up and get beaten up for my trouble."

Within the past six months, Mr Jackson's satellite navigator has been stolen and his garage has been broken into.

"Sometimes I don't get paid, I get arguments about the fare. Now I have been assaulted," he said.

PC Martin Scott, of York Police, confirmed the attack was being investigated.

"If anyone knows anything or has heard anything on the grapevine get in touch," he said.

"Hopefully it was an isolated incident. Police are taking it very seriously and trying to go down every avenue to bring to justice the offender.

"Taxi drivers are honest people trying to do an honest living, yet gone are the days when they can leave their cars and help people with their bags."