Lingerie tycoon, 78, fighting for life after being ‘bludgeoned during botched …

October 17, 2012 by admin
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Tony Power is the founder of top
lingerie firm Panache whose underwear is worn by Scarlett
Johannson, Holly Willoughby and Katie Price
Mr Power had gone to a park to look for
his missing brother when his attacker tried to steal the keys of his
Bentley Continental saloon
He was found unconscious and was left with fractured skull and bleeding on the brain

By
Chris Brooke

PUBLISHED:

09:19 EST, 15 October 2012

|

UPDATED:

18:49 EST, 15 October 2012

Anthony Power

Attack: Tony Power, 78, is the founder of top
lingerie firm Panache whose underwear is worn by Hollywood star Scarlett
Johannson, TV presenter Holly Willoughby and Jordan aka Katie Price

A businessman who founded a multi-million-pound lingerie firm is fighting for his life after being beaten and robbed in a park.

Police believe the attack on Tony Power, 78, may have been an attempt to steal his £180,000 Bentley Continental, which was parked nearby.

The car was not stolen but Mr Power’s iPhone and cash were taken as he lay unconscious.

He suffered a fractured skull and bleeding on the brain. Police described his injuries as life-threatening.

The attack happened after Mr Power drove to the park – seven miles from his home in Bradway, Sheffield – to look for his elderly brother because he was concerned for his welfare.

Police believe he left the Bentley near the entrance to High Hazels Park between 7.50pm and 8.10pm last Monday and was attacked for his car key.

He was found unconscious at 9.10pm and rushed to hospital.

Mr Power, who is being treated in the Royal Hallamshire Hospital, Sheffield, made his fortune as he went from selling bras from his garage to supplying lingerie across the globe. His rags to riches tale began in the early 1980s when he was made redundant from Playtex where he worked as a salesman.

His commercial brainwave was to realise there was a gap in the market for lingerie aimed at curvier women and he set up his company, Panache, in 1982 with money from mortgaging his house.

The scene where Anthony Power the founder of Panache Lingerie was attacked in High Hazels Park Sheffield

Crime scene: A police cordon at the scene where Mr Power was attacked in High Hazels Park, Sheffield

Panache

Underwear: Model wears a Panache bra. The label was launched by Mr Power in 1982

Today, the international firm has
annual sales of £23million and its bras are supplied to major high
street and online retailers.

Its products have received celebrity
backing from the likes of actress Scarlett Johansson and TV presenter
Holly Willoughby. Mr Power, who lives with his wife Maureen, stepped
down from running Panache in 2007.

The firm is now owned and run by his four children from its £2.5million base in Sheffield.

A spokesman for Panache said: ‘Mr Power is a self-made man who founded international brand Panache 30 years ago.

‘As a close, family-run company, this
incident has come as a big shock and our thoughts and prayers are with
the Power family at this difficult and private time.’ Members of his
family declined to comment. There were no further details on why Mr
Power was concerned for his brother.

A hospital spokesman described Mr Power’s condition as ‘stable but critical’.

Residents in Mr Power’s neighbourhood
were shocked by the attack. One said: ‘He is a very successful
businessman and it’s awful that such a thing could happen to an elderly
man.’

A local man, Imran Khan, 30, has been charged with attempted murder and robbery in connection with the incident.

The scene where Anthony Power the founder of Panache Lingerie was attacked

A 30-year-old local man from Darnall,
Sheffield, has been charged with attempted murder and robbery

The scene where Anthony Power the founder of Panache Lingerie was attacked

Police
say Mr Power, who is currently in hospital in Sheffield, drove the car
to the park and parked it near the entrance between 7.50pm and 8.10pm
and was found unconscious at 9.10pm