Briton severely beaten over head with ski pole

A MANHUNT is underway after a British man was severely beaten over the head with a ski pole in Austria.

The 55-year-old, who has not been named, sustained severe head injuries and was airlifted to a hospital in the nearby city of Schwaz.

Police told The Daily Telegraph they were looking for a “ginger-bearded man” wearing a grey jacket who was part of a group of six.

The incident occurred on Sunday in the Zillertal Arena ski area in Rohrberg in the Austrian Alps.

The British man intervened after a snowboarder almost collided with a group of skiers as the slope was about to close for the day.

After being confronted, the snowboarder took a ski pole from one of the group and beat the British man “two to three times” on the head.

Media reports said the Briton was not wearing a helmet at the time of the attack, which is likely to have exacerbated his injuries.

Police reported that the man had since been discharged from hospital and was on his way back to the UK.

The attacker fled the scene and has not yet been located.