A brutal beating caught on camera by horrified holidaymakers on a beach in Tenerife involved two men who live in local caves and ‘have problems of co-existence’, police have revealed.

Dramatic video shows how the attacker, said to be a Dutch man in his 30s, chased the topless man down to the shoreline, with the victim seen stumbling backwards over rocks as he tried to defend himself.

The assailant reportedly used an aluminium pole to hit the man, believed to be an Austrian aged 48, who sustained slashes on his back from the instrument’s sharp edges.

‘If he had taken an iron bar or a wooden stick, he would have been killed,’ one witness told Spanish media, with pictures showing the cuts the man suffered.

The violent scenes unfolded on the Los Abrigos beach on the south coast of the holiday island in front of shocked families, with parents seen herding their children away from the chaos.

Holidaymakers were left stunned as the man launched a relentless attack on the alleged thief, brutally beating him with a stick

Video footage shows the attacker chasing the topless man to the shoreline and into the sea

A picture circulating online shows the victim’s back covered in slashes after the attack

The victim, who was just wearing swimming trunks at the time, had been lying down sunbathing and was completely unaware of what was about to happen when the attack on him was launched, according to Spanish news site El Debate.

Police intervened and arrested the perpetrator, who reportedly claimed he was taking the law into his own hands.

Initial reports pointed to the incident being sparked by an alleged pickpocket trying to steal a tourist’s wallet. 

But a well-placed police source said: ‘The two people involved have no fixed abode, live in caves and have problems of co-existence.’

Another insider close to the investigation added: ‘Neither man, the victim of the beating or the aggressor, is a tourist.

‘One is from Austria and the other is from the Netherlands. They are of no fixed abode and live in caves.’

Police have yet to officially confirm the nationality of the detainee but he is thought to be the Dutch national rather than the Austrian man.

While footage circulating online does not show what happened before the attacker set upon the other man, he can be heard yelling angrily at him before hitting him with full force with the stick.

His victim is seen falling to the floor and rolling backwards over the rocks as he tries to escape.

But the attacker continues without mercy, repeatedly hitting him as he runs after him all the way to the sea.

Parents are seen dragging their children away as the violent fight unfolds in front of them

In a desperate bid to avoid the blows, the man goes several metres out into the water.

The assailant is undeterred and wades out, even though he is fully clothed.

He continues to batter him, even hitting him on the head, likely inflicting severe injuries.

Children are seen paddling in the sea when the attack begins, before being dragged away by their parents who had been trying to enjoy a day at the beach. 

The video went viral online, and a Facebook group has shared images of the victim’s injuries.

Slashes are seen on the man’s back where he has been hit, and it appears he was assisted by lifeguards, who are heard whistling at the end of the video. 

Witnesses confirmed the attack was sparked by the victim’s attempt to steal the attacker’s wallet, Canarian Weekly reports, however, the exact cause of the attack is not clear.

The man responsible was handcuffed and taken to court, according to reports. He is said to be undergoing psychiatric assessment by the court’s forensic doctor.