Police are appealing for witnesses after a passenger was attacked and threatened with a knife on board a District line train.

A group of between 12 and 15 young men boarded the service at Whitechapel station at around 6.30pm on Friday, October 9, with one of the group approaching the victim.

He demanded to know where he was from and threatened to stab him.

As the victim took off his earphones to put them in his pocket, the man tried unsucessfully to take them from him, grabbing him by his collar and slapping him around the face when he resisted.

Another man from the group then pushed the victim into a seat before a further four punched and kicked him, including in the face. While this was happening, yet another man from the group pulled out a knife.

Other passengers were able to pull the victim away from the group of men before he could be hurt any further.

Some of the men from the group got off at Stepney Green and the others at Mile End.

Anyone who witnessed what happened is asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 quoting reference 514 of 09/10/2020.

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.