A good samaritan was punched in the face on a train after he tried to intervene when a man began shouting racist abuse at passengers.

The 32-year-old, from Walthamstow, was on a Gospel Oak to Barking train when the incident happened just outside Blackhorse Road station at around 10.10pm on Friday.

Officers say the attacker boarded at Upper Holloway and began shouting abuse at an Asian passenger who was travelling alone.

He then continued his tirade against two other men sitting nearby. When the victim tried to persuade the man to stop he was punched several times in the face, suffering cuts and bruising.

Investigating officer PC Greig Watkins said: "The man made extremely offensive comments to three men who were simply making their way home. Racial and violent abuse will not be tolerated on the rail network and we will always seek to trace, and put before the courts, anyone who engages in unacceptable behaviour such as this."

The attacker is described as white, aged around 20 and is about 5ft 10ins tall. He had fair hair and was wearing trousers with paint marks on them.

Anyone with information is urged to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 quoting B8/LNA of 28/07/2012. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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