AN ATTACK in which a bus driver was punched, kicked and head-butted, has been described as "racially motivated" by police.

A gang of Asian thugs including a 14-year-old and a 15-year-old, dragged the white bus driver out of his cab and assaulted him in Greenford on Saturday, January 6.

Four people jumped on the unsuspecting 51-year-old as the Route 95 double decker bus stopped outside the Palm Tree Club in Greenford Road at 8.40pm.

One of the attackers started to speak to the driver and, as the victim opened the door to hear what was being said, the rest of the gang jumped on him and dragged him outside where he was viciously assaulted and racially abused.

The driver suffered a black eye, cuts and bruises, a bloodied nose, ligament damage to his left knee and had damage to his left ear from being repeatedly headbutted.

He is still on medication.

One police source told the Ealing Times: "They have given him an awful pasting.

"It is just phenomenal for these individuals to show such racially-motivated violence in attacking this 51-year-old - it was just pure violence."

While attacking the driver the teenagers allegedly hurled racial abuse.

Witnesses said there was a larger group of "boisterous" teenagers on the bus, but police said they had no way of telling if the two groups were connected.

Our source said: "We have a number of issues with violence on buses. It is a growing problem. That is why we are having a meeting with bus companies and drivers on Thursday."

"There is an awful lot of work being done, especially with plain-clothed officers, and TfL are also involved.

"It is very rare to have this sort of thing on our borough."

Shortly after the attack, police officers on routine patrol stopped two people in Ravenor Park, Greenford, who fitted the description of some of the suspects allegedly involved in the assault.

A 14-year-old Asian boy from Woodhouse Avenue, Perivale, and a 15-year-old Asian boy from Clarendon Road, Ealing, were arrested on suspicion of Actual Bodily Harm and were bailed to return to Southall Police Station on February 16 pending further enquiries.

Police are still hunting one of the suspected gang members, a teenager aged 16 to 18, wearing a red and black raincoat with a hood.

Anyone with information should contact Ealing Borough Police on 020 8810 1212 quoting Crime Reference 2500681/07 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.