Mahmoud Hussein has been left fighting for his life in hospital after a vicious thug attack near his home

A Palestinian refugee who fled the violence of the West Bank for a new life in Britain has been left fighting for his life after a vicious brick attack near his home.

Mahmoud Hussein, 46, had left his flat in Stechford, Birmingham, to make a trip to a nearby chemists to pick up a prescription when he was brutally assaulted outside shops.

The father-of-five, who got a job at Land Rover after moving to the UK eight years ago, suffered a head injury, fractured jaw, a fracture above his right eye and a serious injury to his knee.

He had to undergo brain surgery and has been in a coma since the attack two weeks ago while his distraught wife, Eman Tahaineh, 38, keeps a bedside vigil at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

She said: 'It's very difficult, I'm counting the hours and minutes until he wakes up.'

The couple, who have been married for 15 years, have four children - the oldest is their 14-year-old son Anas, followed by their only daughter Roua, 11, then Malik, seven and Muhammed, four, and the couple's youngest child is baby Ibrahim, who is just nine-months-old.

Police are yet to make any arrests over the attack on the maths graduate, who had previously reported concerns over anti-social behaviour, including drug taking, near his home.

Mr Hussein's brother-in-law, Nadel Arif, 48, said he had no enemies and was a hard-working father.

'He spent most of his time teaching his children, teaching them mathematics, he's got hundreds of notebooks,' he said.

'He told me his children are the most valuable thing he had and he was every day concerned about them. The children ask every day about him and we have said "he's just a little bit sick".

'His 14-year-old is still unaware about what could happen. He tells his mother, "I don't like you to see me crying".'

Mr Arif said his sister is afraid for the future and suspects a group of men seen taking drugs at the block where the family lives were behind the attack on December 20.

He told how Mr Hussein had reported problems to the police numerous times over the past last three years, but he said there were never any arrests.

Mr Hussein, pictured before the attack, has previously reported anti-social behaviour relating to drug taking at the block of flats he shares with his wife and five children in Birmingham

The junction between Church Lane and Stud Lane in Birmingham where Mr Hussein was attacked with a brick

'I know my brother-in-law, he is a peaceful man. From his house to his work he has no enemies at all,' he said.

'I've reported to the police there are no enemies, only one enemy.'

Officers have said it could be one person behind the attack and are keen to speak to a man, white and aged in his 20s, who was wearing a blue coat.

Mr Hussein has been married for 15 years and has four young sons and a daughter

Detective Inspector Nick Dale, based in Chelmsley Wood, said: 'The level of violence shocked not only the family but officers dealing with it.

'We suspect that members of the community will know who committed this offence.

'If that's the case then it's likely people are keeping that information and keeping the individual away from police attention.

'This is an appeal that anybody with any information about who has done this and where they are, comes forward and speaks to police about it.

'We don't know what the motivation for it is, it seems to be an assault that came out of the blue.'

DI Dale added: 'We are aware of concerns raised by residents of anti-social behaviour with youths gathering at the block of flats, causing a nuisance and taking drugs.

'These concerns were being looked at by the local neighbourhood team which is working with residents to resolve the issue.

'Our records show there have been eight calls made to us by Mr Hussein since 2012 relating to concerns of drug taking at the flats.

'The serious assault on Mr Hussein was not near his home address but some distance away whilst he was on a shopping trip; there is nothing to suggest the anti-social behaviour is linked to the assault though clearly it does form part of our enquiries.'