A French man has been left with injuries after being shot repeatedly with a pellet gun because he was Jewish.

The victim, who was hospitalised following the attack last Thursday, was a 21-year-old returning from a Jewish studies session at a synagogue in Villeurbanne.

He told police that the two aggressors, in their 20s, had asked his name, then responded: "You don't look to be named Antoine, you look Jewish, you are a Jew."

They proceeded to shoot him in the head and body.

According to news service AFP the attackers were "of North African origin".

The attack was condemned by the Villeurbanne mayor and described as undoubtedly "antisemitic" by a local Jewish leader.