A FORMER Colchester United player was brutally assaulted and shot with a stun gun while guarding £200,000 of clothes.

Adam Nichols, 52, was left with shattered ribs, a broken foot and a damaged eye socket after being attacked by a group of four men.

He was pepper sprayed, beaten, shot with a stun gun and had his face wrapped in black tape while acting as a security guard for a designer clothing delivery company he runs with his three brothers.

Mr Nichols was a central defender at Colchester United in 1983 and 1984.

A reconstruction of the horrific attack appeared on BBC’s Crimewatch programme on Tuesday night.

Speaking during the programme, he said: "I remember going, 'I have children, please do not kill me, please do not kill me'.

"I was swallowing blood and then they lifted me up and then that's when they started taping my face up. They went right across my mouth and I was struggling to breathe.

"They would have killed me. They would kill someone."

Charity Crimestoppers had put up a £3,000 reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the attackers.

Anyone with information should call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org