A 36-year-old man is recovering from an horrific ordeal in which he was abducted, stabbed and shocked with a stun gun.

The Penge man, who does not want to be identified, was attacked from behind in Queen Adelaide Road, Penge, near his home.

He was then handcuffed and bundled into the back of a van.

Four men subjected him to a violent attack during the terrifying ordeal on March 5, before leaving him for dead on a south London street 20 minutes later.

Still handcuffed, he was found by a passer-by who called the police and paramedics.

By the time he was treated he had lost four pints of blood and medics say he could have died if he had been found any later.

Detective Constable Pete Wilkinson, investigating the incident, said: "This was an horrific crime committed in the early evening when lots of people were around and the attackers must have known they might have been seen.

"In other parts of London perhaps this sort of thing wouldn't be such a surprise but it is pretty unusual here.

"I'd urge anyone who knows anything about this to contact me."

The man was abducted in Queen Adelaide Road, Penge, at about 6.45pm on March 5.

The men bundled him into a white box van, possibly a Ford Transit, with a sliding side door and a partial registration number P674. They then punched and stabbed him and shocked him with the stun gun.

They also took £100 cash and credit cards before dumping him in College Road, Dulwich. He was treated for a serious injury to his left eye and a stab wound to his leg at King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill.

A spokesman for London Ambulance Service said: "The patient had sustained multiple injuries, most notably to his right thigh, head and face. Our crew took him to King's as an emergency admission."

The suspects, who are black and in their 20s, spoke with south London accents.

Call DC Wilkinson on 020 8284 8754 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.