Passenger burned in train attack

A man was left with serious burns to his face and head after being attacked while sleeping on a train.

The 21-year-old was found unconscious on the floor of the service from Brighton to Littlehampton in West Sussex on Sunday.

A British Transport Police spokesman said it was unclear whether the man has been deliberately set alight or had been burned by a fire started nearby.

Detectives want to trace four teenagers who got on the train at Lancing.

The victim is in a stable condition in a specialist burns unit.

The four youths approached the man who was subsequently assaulted while asleep Det Con Cager

The attack happened on the 1850 GMT service, which the youths boarded at about 1900 GMT.

Det Con Cager said: "It is believed there were at least four youths who boarded the train.

"The four youths approached the man who was subsequently assaulted while asleep."

He added: "When the train guard went to inspect the location of the fire, a 21-year-old man was found unconscious on the floor of the train, with serious burn injuries to his face and head."

He said the group of youths "fled the train" at Durrington-on-Sea.

Police have seized CCTV footage of the incident and are carrying out forensic tests on the carriage, he said.

Adding that the offence was "very serious", he urged the four youths, or any witnesses, to come forward.

CCTV images are not yet being released by police.

Two of the youths are about 14 or 15 years old, and a third is 17 or 18. All three wore hooded tops and dark clothes.

No description was given of the fourth offender.