A BUILDER vowed to return to work today after returning home to Weymouth from a holiday hell in which he was left for dead by a gang of knife-wielding robbers.
Father-of-two David Batchelor, 40, wandered across the Costa Blanca region of Spain after being slashed and beaten unconscious.
With no knowledge of the language or the area and with little help from locals and police, Mr Batchelor was forced to live on the streets for a week until he was found by his younger brother Dean who flew to Spain to search for him.
Mr Batchelor is determined to go back to work in the family firm today despite the bandages on his hands. He has lost the use of a thumb and may need skin grafts.
Mum Pat today thanked police in Weymouth for their efforts in helping to try to locate her son.
Mr Batchelor said: "For one week I didn't know who I was.
"I walked the equivalent of Weymouth to London in a couple of days.
"When my brother found me he said I looked like Tom Hanks in the film Castaway - but worse.
"The doctors said another day on the road and I would have died."
Mr Batchelor, of Reedling Close, spent an enjoyable fortnight in Murcia with this friend Mark Adams but says he was mugged as he travelled towards Alicante.
In Alicante he was attacked again by five men who cut him with knives and stole everything including his passport, jewellery and clothes.
Mr Batchelor said: "I would've put up a fight if there had been one or two robbers but there was too many of them.
"The police didn't want to know so I started walking towards Murcia.
"I owe my life to Dean who came to look for me."
Mrs Batchelor, 60, of Watery Lane, who also has two daughters, said: "I'm just glad he's back safe.
"I've heard all sorts of horror stories about gangs in that part of Spain and I was worried sick.
"I'd like to say thanks to Sergeant Ian Roach from Weymouth police and his team who were very helpful and put out a missing persons appeal through Interpol.
"I'd also like to thank my kids for bringing David back."
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