A RACIST thug left a Latvian man needing stitches after an unprovoked assault in Hounslow.

His 22-year-old Latvian victim was passing the Moon Under Water pub, in Staines Road, with a friend at 1am on Monday morning when they met two men walking the other way.

They moved aside to let them past, only for one of the men to push him into the road in front of oncoming cars.

He needed stitches to a head wound, his arm was badly grazed and he had difficulty breathing following the assault.

From comments at the scene it appears the attacker, who is white, aged 30-35 and about 5ft8, with short dark hair, launched the assault because he thought his victim was Polish.

Police are appealing for witnesses to come forward, especially the attacker's companion, who is also white, aged 35-40 and about 6ft, with a shaved head. He was heard to ask 'why are you doing this?'

DI Alan Holford, of Hounslow Police, said: "The friend of the suspect obviously identified straight away that this was an unprovoked attack which could have had serious consequences had the victim been struck by a vehicle.

"The witness obviously knows who the culprit is and I ask that they come forward to speak to my officers at Hounslow CID."