Brand's thugs beat us up say wedding paparazzi

The photographers claimed the heavies pounced as they followed Brand and his party through a well-known safari park.

And they said the bodyguards left them stranded among tigers, leopards and hyenas unable to start the engine of their jeep.

Brand is due to marry chart star Katy Perry today in a ceremony close to the Ranthambhore National Park, which is 80 miles from Jaipur in Rajasthan.

The four photographers – from Associated Press, Reuters, Agence France-Presse and the Hindustan Times – following about 100 metres behind two jeeps carrying Brand and others.

AP photographer Mustafa Quraishi said one of the two guards – both of whom had British accents – approached their vehicle, punched the driver in the face and grabbed the keys.

Quraishi said he jumped out to try to retrieve the keys, but the bodyguard punched him repeatedly, breaking his glasses, smashing and taking his camera flash and leaving him with a cut on his arm.

Two of the other photographers came to his aid, Quraishi said, but the other guard began hitting them, leaving one with a bleeding head wound as Brand watched .

The alleged attackers were then said to have driven away leaving them stranded, although park rangers later retrieved the keys.

Private security has been stationed at the hotels where guests and the couple are staying.