Gang of teenagers stab man, 50, at Snaresbrook Tube station

Police are appealing for information after a group of teenagers knifed a 50-year-old man in the leg at Snaresbrook Underground station.

The victim got into an argument with a group of boys – who he did not know – on the Central Line, at around 1.20am on October 22.

When the train arrived at Snaresbrook Tube station, the man and the other passengers approached the barriers and one of the teenagers slashed the man in the leg with a knife.

He sustained a serious injury and was taken to hospital for treatment.

The man has since been discharged.

British Transport Police (BTP) investigating officer, Det Con Jon Howlett, issued an appeal for any witnesses in the area at the time of the stabbing.

He said: “Violence will not be tolerated on our transport network and a thorough investigation is underway to identify the offenders. Incidents of this nature are extremely rare.

“A minor dispute appears to have escalated into a physical confrontation, in which the victim sustained a serious injury.

“I would like to speak to anyone was in the area around the time of the incident or was on the Tube and saw the offenders and victim prior to the assault.”

Det Con Howlett described the offenders as “a group of boys in their mid to late teens”.

He asked anyone with information to call him on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016 quoting reference 225 28/10/2016.

Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

This is the second stabbing in Redbridge within a week, after 19-year-old Ziggy Worrell-Owusu was killed at an 18th birthday party in Goodmayes on Thursday.