Actress and model Dessy Zidarova was viciously beaten by two men at around 9pm on November 29 2009 in Sofia's Lozenets borough, police said.

She sustained serious leg injuries in the attack and was subsequently admitted to hospital. Her life is not said to be in any danger.

She was attacked while leaving her beauty salon together with a male employee who also injured while trying to shield her, Zidarova's PR manager Martin Raikov told private national Nova Televisia on November 30 2009.

Zidarova's colleague, however, only sustained mild injuries and was discharged by doctors. According to Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov, this suggested that the brutal attack was aimed directly at Zidarova.

The fact that the two attackers stole her purse was merely a decoy, Tsvetanov told private national broadcaster Darik radio on November 29 2009.

Significantly, until some time ago, Zidarova had been protected by a personal bodyguard hired by her ex-boyfriend. After Zidarova broke up with her boyfriend - the son of a businessman involved in the production of spirits - the bodyguard was cancelled, Raikov told Nova Televisia.

Raikov said that 29-year-old Zidarova enjoyed a good relationship with her husband and father of her two children whom she left earlier this year.

He said that Zidarova had not received any threats before the attack.

Zidarova gained popularity for her part in the Bulgarian TV series Hotel Bulgaria broadcast on Nova Televisia in 2004.