Frank Stuart is currently admitted to Wittington Hotel. Taken by: Bob Hoskins

A “heroic” night porter refused to give up the location of keys to a Lewisham hotel safe earlier this morning, even after being tortured by robbers.

The two robbers broke into Jury’s Hotel, and assaulted night porter Frank Stuart. They tied him up, beat him with a hammer, and cut his face and hands.

Stuart, 51, refused to locate the keys and the robbers eventually left with £15 stolen from a fruit machine.

Detective Inspector James Dallowey described the attack as “brutal torture.”

“When they realised they were getting nowhere, the tall man began to hit Mr Stuart with a hammer (…)  the small man cut [his] shirt to ribbons.”

Police said both attackers were white, with “local accents”. The first was approximately 5’11’’, stocky, around 20 years old, with short dark hair. The second was around 30, 5’4”, thin with long brown hair, wearing a brown sweatshirt, jeans and trainers, witha knife at his belt.

Maurine Stuart, 53, said “He was terrified. But the worse they got, the more he was determined to not let them get away with it.”

Hotel manager Jeremy Bates offered a reward for any information..

“We think Frank is a hero. said Bates.