Residents are too afraid to use a Redbridge subway after the third violent mugging in a few weeks.

A 46-year-old man was attacked by two youths as he walked through the underpass under the A12 by Redbridge Underground station.

The two muggers, one wielding a 20cm kitchen knife, punched him in the face before taking his mobile phone and running off towards Royston Gardens.

As they fled, the men pushed past a woman who was also using the subway.

The woman, who did not want to be named for her own safety, said: “I thought it was very suspicious as they kept turning round, then I saw this man covered in blood.

“I went to help with another boy and I saw a big pool of blood – the man looked really panicky.”

The woman, who lives nearby, said she has since been to afraid to use the underpass to get to the station, choosing instead a much longer journey to cross the busy A12.

“I haven’t slept for two days since,” she added.

Wanstead Lane resident Sayeed Kadir was also nearby at the time of the attack and went with officers in an unmarked police car to try to find the robbers.

He said: “The police told me this is the third assault there in just a few weeks.”

Mr Kadir has now started a new petition to have CCTV installed in the area, and hopes to get more support from his neighbours and councillors.

He said: “The most important thing that needs to happen straight away is that the bushes by the underpass, where people hide, are cut back and CCTV is installed.”

Although the underpass is controlled by Transport for London, they have previously failed to install security cameras.

Police are still looking for two black men, in their late teens. Both were wearing black jackets and one a black woolly hat.

Anyone with information should call Det Con Jo Stevens on 020 8345 2653.

A spokesman for Redbridge Council said: “Redbridge Council and police are analysing the crimes in the area and are looking at developing an action plan to make the area safer. During this time the local police safer neighbourhood team are actively policing the area.

“While CCTV in the underpass does not fall under the council’s responsibility it has looked into putting permanent CCTV in Studley Drive.

“However due to the area’s design the CCTV control centre are unable to receive a signal from the underpass at the present time.”