A man who complained to a bus driver that passengers were smoking was left with a fractured skull and displaced teeth when the culprits took offence and beat him up.

The 41-year-old victim was sitting on the 157 bus at 11.50pm on Sunday, February 10 when he complained the driver about smoke on the lower deck as the bus approached the junction of Northcote Road and Whitehorse Road in Selhurst.

His two attackers, both aged around 25 with short brown hair and Eastern European accents, punched him and when they got off the bus, knocked him to the ground and kicked him in the head.

The men ran off down Whitehorse Road and the victim, who lives in Morden, was taken by ambulance to Mayday Hospital, where he remains in a stable condition.

A police spokesman was unable to comment on whether witnesses intervened but anyone with information should contact DC Charlotte Sampson on 020 8768 1212 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.