A FRENCH peace campaigner reckons Faversham is the most dangerous place in Europe after he was beaten up by four men in the town.

Joel Buton, 42, was the victim of a vicious and unprovoked attack as he trundled his handcart through the town centre in the early hours of Saturday.

He left France in May 1999 on a 22,000-mile peace pilgrimage around Europe.

He has walked through Belfast and some of the toughest areas in the north of England without any trouble.

But he was jumped and then kicked and punched as he walked past the Post Office, in East Street, Faversham, just after 3am.

"In the two years I have been walking round Europe this is the first time I have been attacked," he said.

"There were four of them - young men who looked about 15 to 20 years old.

"There was no reason for their attack. They never said anything, just waited until we were alone on the road and then came at me."

He was taken to Kent & Canterbury Hospital, and left to reclaim some of his property from Sittingbourne police station. But after complaining of dizziness he was admitted to Medway hospital for observation.

"I suffered a bad blow to my ear, which is all black, cuts, and a kick in the stomach. I did not have any time to defend myself," he said.

A police official said the matter was still under investigation. Mr Buton said he hoped security cameras had captured the incident.

The attack has not deterred him from continuing his pilgrimage.

He added: "This is why I am making the walk, to protest about the need for peace, in Israel, in all the countries of the world. Disarmament is my goal so I am spreading the peace message wherever I go."