Police are appealing for witnesses after a family was racially abused on a late-night train from London to Essex in the run-up to Christmas.

British Transport Police officers released CCTV images of the two men they want to speak to regarding the incident, which occurred on the 12:18am London Liverpool Street to Colchester service on Sunday 7 December.

Detective Constable Sally Everritt said a couple and their three children were abused and intimidate by a group of young men shortly after they boarded the train following a day out in London. She said that “some of the abuse was racist in nature and take-away food was also thrust at the family.

“The family got off the train at their hometown of Shenfield but the group of men continued on the service towards Chelmsford and Colchester.”

Everritt said that as the train was one of the last back to Essex on a Saturday night, it was extremely and many passengers would have witnessed the incident.

Everritt is calling on anyone who was on the train and who has not yet come forward to do so, as well as anyone who recognises either of the two men to contact British Transport Police immediately.

Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40, or text 61016, quoting reference B9/ESUB of 05/01/2015. Information can also be passed anonymously to the independent charity, Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.