Gang Set Tourist's Hair On Fire On Train
Police are searching for a group of youths who left a tourist "extremely distressed" after they set fire to her hair in an unprovoked attack on a train.
CCTV images captured the moment the victim was set alight on a rail service from Hastings to London's Charing Cross on Sunday July 19.
The Swedish woman, a teacher on a school trip, was walking through a carriage at around 6.30pm when one of the gang held out a lighter and touched her hair.
It immediately caught alight, but the woman only realised what was happening when her students starmed screaming and pointing at her head.
British Transport Police said she was "incredibly lucky" to have managed to pat out the flames before they caused any injury.
https://teakdoor.com/images/smilies1/You_Rock_Emoticon.gif Police are searching for these four youths caught on camera
"Within a few more seconds the majority of her hair could have been on fire, causing her serious harm," BTP Inspector Gary Ancell, who is leading the inquiry, said.
"Assaults of this nature are extremely rare on the railway system but I am treating this incident very seriously and urge the youths pictured in the CCTV images or anyone who recognises them to come forward to police."
Police are hunting four youths, two of whom were thrown off the train by a conductor who found them hiding in the toilet after the incident.
:: Anyone with information about the incident should call the British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40.
Gang Of Youths Set Fire To Swedish Tourist's Hair In Train Attack | UK News | Sky News
YouTube - Woman's hair set on fire: CCTV released