EMMERDALE’S Dr Liam Cavanagh was left with a nasty surprise when he was whacked over the head with a piece of wood in a shock attack.

It is the THIRD major head injury the GP has suffered in just weeks as he continues to fall victim to a slew of unfortunate events.

In the latest episode of Emmerdale, fans watched as Liam found himself clubbed around the head before being left knocked out on the floor.

Whilst Liam was left with no clue as to who caused his injuries, fans of the ITV soap opera witnessed John Sugden commit the unprovoked attack.

John has been left seething with Liam after he demoted him from working with patients in the medical centre to being the receptionist after he made a huge error with one of the patients.

Whilst John is an army medic, his lack of training for a GP surgery led Liam to make the decision for the time being.

But this rattled John who has been left desperate to get his old job back in a bid to prove his worth.

Fans know he has a ‘hero complex’ and is fixated on saving people in order to be looked upon favourably.

It swung right back into action when John made sure he was conveniently able to be called upon by Liam’s worried fiance Chas who begged for his medical help.

John then rushed with her to the scene in order to treat Liam who was left admitting he was none the wiser as to who brutally assaulted him from behind.

Sheepish John managed to remain calm with no one appearing to have any clear or obvious reason to suspect him of foul play.

It comes just weeks after John purposefully made Jacob Gallagher have an allergic reaction to a drink in order to save him.

John tampered with two coffees in order to ensure nut allergic Jacob drank from a cup with almond milk before switching the labels back as to not raise suspicion.

It saw Jacob collapse before John was able to revive him amid the horror ordeal.

Meanwhile, for Liam, this is his third attack in less than two months.

In February, he suffered a traumatic brain injury during the limo crash on the frozen lake which saw him raced to hospital.

Then, just weeks later, he found himself involved in a woodland scuffle with Ella Forster.

Now, with his latest attack – Liam will begin to suspect that someone is really out to get him.

But when will the Dales residents discover that John is truly responsible?