Taxi driver threatened with knife

A Hertfordshire taxi driver had a knife pushed into his throat by a passenger he had taken on a seven mile journey.

Two men took the taxi from Watford to Rayburn Road in Hemel Hempstead in the early hours on Tuesday.

When they arrived just after midnight the first man left the vehicle to go to a Ford Escort van parked nearby.

The second, in the back of the cab, held a kitchen knife to the 44-year-old driver's throat and bit his ear demanding money, but left empty-handed.

Nasty incident

The taxi driver put up a fight but was kicked by the first offender when he returned.

Both men then made off in the van but the taxi driver suffered traumatic injuries to his ear and eye.

The first suspect is white, slim, aged about 39 with short black hair.

He is 5ft 5in (163cm) tall, with bulging eyes and was wearing a black bomber jacket with blue jeans.

The second is also white, of medium build, aged about 45 with cropped hair and about 6ft (182cm) tall.

Sgt Laurie Rush said: "This was a particularly nasty incident, and I would really like to see the two individuals responsible taken off our streets and brought to justice."