Police are appealing for information after a gay couple were beaten on a train near Ealing .

Phil Poole and boyfriend Zbynek Zatloukal were punched and kicked as they returned from a romantic evening out on Valentine’s Day in what they believe was a homophobic attack.

British Transport Police (BTP) want people with information to contact officers investigating the case.

The incident happened in the early hours Wednesday (February 15), after the couple, who live in Maidenhead and had been out for dinner in Reading, had fallen asleep and missed their stop on the Great Western Railway train.

Phil Poole said he lost two teeth in the attack

Mr Zatloukal, from Czech Republic, was awoken by the gang of five abusing him and hurling anti-gay abuse.

He asked to be left alone but the vicious group began punching him before attacking his boyfriend, who had been sleeping on his shoulder.

Mr Poole, a 35-year-old ice-skating coach and personal trainer from Maidenhead, said: “He (Mr Zatloukal) said ‘please just leave us alone’ and before we knew it he was punched in the face and had blood everywhere.

“I had woken up and they started punching me in the face, I had not said anything.”

He lost two teeth in the attack before putting them in his pocket and staggering over to another seat.

Zbynek Zatloukal suffered bruising and now has a swollen eye

But the thugs were said to have followed him to the seat and prolonged the attack, and the teeth fell out of his pocket.

To his horror, he then saw the gang kicking Mr Zatloukal, a chef, while he was on the floor.

Witnesses called the police shortly after 1am before the gang ran off at Ealing Broadway station .

The couple, who have been together since November, also alighted at the same station and were taken to hospital by ambulance, where BTP said they were treated for cuts and bruises.

Zbynek Zatloukal (left) and boyfriend Phil Poole (right) have been dating since November last year

Mr Poole said he has been left with swelling on both cheeks and cuts on his face, while his partner has a swollen eye and bruising.

Anyone with information should call BTP on 0800 40 50 40 or 61016 citing reference 30 of 15/02/16.

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