POLICE were called to Eltham High Street when a black man was attacked by two white thugs said to be defending the British National Party.

Volunteers from campaign group Unite Against Fascism were handing out leaflets on May 23 when an argument broke out between the victim and two white men who were passing by.

The row escalated until the two thugs began punching and kicking the black man.

Michael Coulston, 43, from Lewisham, saw the argument start while he was handing out flyers urging shoppers not to vote for the BNP at the European elections.

He said: "A couple of guys kept walking past and shouting stuff which defended the BNP. They said the BNP acts to protect the British people.

"But then a black guy shouted out that he was British too. An argument started and then the two white men started punching and kicking him."

Officers from Greenwich police were called at 1.22pm but the attackers fled before they arrived.

The investigation was later closed as the violent pair were not captured on CCTV, and none of the witnesses could describe them. The victim was not seriously injured.

A spokeswoman for Greenwich police said: "We take incidents of this nature very seriously.

"This kind of aggressive behaviour will simply not be tolerated and anyone arrested will be thoroughly investigated."