Woman's hair set on fire on train

Police are hunting four youths who set fire to the woman's hair

A woman's hair was set on fire with a lighter by a gang of youths as she walked through a carriage on a train.

CCTV captured the moment when the woman, a Swedish teacher on a school trip, was set alight on the Hastings to London's Victoria service.

She only realised she was on fire when her students started screaming and she was able to pat out the flames.

Police hunting for four boys have just released pictures of the suspects. The attack happened on July 19.

Two of the boys were ejected from the train by a conductor, who found them hiding in a toilet.

British Transport Police (BTP) Insp Gary Ancell said the woman tourist escaped injury in the incident, which took place exactly a month ago, on 19 July, but was "extremely distressed".

He said: "The victim was incredibly lucky because within a few more seconds the majority of her hair could have been on fire, causing her serious harm."

He said assaults of this nature were "extremely rare" but the incident was being treated as very serious.

The BTP is appealing for the youths pictured in the CCTV images or anyone who recognised them to come forward.