Police have launched a hunt for a group of thugs who ranted that "gays should be strung up" before launching a brutal homophobic attack on a train passenger.
Detectives have issued CCTV images of the suspects following the shocking assault on a late night train from London Liverpool Street to Shoeburyness in Essex.
Police say the victim was several times in the head in an "unprovoked" attack as he went to leave the train at Upminster station in east London, causing him to fall to the platform.
He was left unconscious and sustained several bruises.
A British Transport Police spokesman said: "Shortly after midnight on April 14, the victim was travelling with his partner when a group of men began making a number of homophobic comments.
"The comments became increasingly aggressive, at one point one of them said 'gays should be strung up'.
"When the victim went to leave the train at Upminster station he was punched a number of times in the head in an unprovoked attack, causing him to fall to the platform.
"The victim was left unconscious for a number of minutes and sustained a number of bruises.
"The assault happened on board the 11.39pm service from London Liverpool Street to Shoeburyness."
He added: "Officers believe the men shown in the CCTV images may have information which could help them investigate.
"No one should ever be targeted with abuse or violent because of who they are, or who they love.
"We take all reports of hate crime seriously and will work hard to identify perpetrators and bring them before the courts."
