Police are hunting for thugs who pushed a man with learning difficulties onto a railway line leaving him with a broken leg.

The attack at Prittlewell Station came as a man in his thirties was waiting for his train to arrive.

Yobs pushed the victim off the platform before leaving him lying in the track. The man screamed in pain and emergency services quickly rushed him to hospital.

Doctors found that he had fractured his leg in three places and were forced to carry out surgery on Sunday. Officers are still waiting for him to recover before carrying out a detailed interview.

British Transport Police, based at Southend, are appealing for witnesses to the incident - between 10.30pm and 11pm on Saturday - to come forward and provide details on the culprits.

The attack was the second serious incident to take place on the train network over the weekend, with a 19-year-old youth also sustaining major hand injuries.

The teenager was assaulted at Southend Victoria Station at around 8pm by a gang of male yobs who bottled him in the hand with a smashed glass. His 18-year-old friend was also punched in the face.