A dad from Bellingham who confronted two yobs at the train station who were hurling racist slurs has said he is concerned for his son’s safety.

Adam Pugh, 33, stepped in to protect other passengers while the thugs shouted racist and homophobic names like “monkey” and “f*****” at other passengers on the platform.

In a video recording made by another passenger, a man in a high-vis jacket can be seen telling a black man: “You treat women like animals” while swigging from a can of pink gin.

Warning: This video contains strong language.

Video: Adam Pugh

Mr Pugh, an anti-racism campaigner who was on the way to collect his son from nursery in Elephant and Castle, also described watching the men say “you rape women – after Brexit you can f*** off” to a black man as they waited for a train last Friday morning.

Speaking to News Shopper, Mr Pugh told how he stood between the thugs and another passenger – who filmed the video - as they shouted “you p**f, you f*****, I’ll smash your face in.”

As the 11.52 train arrived, Mr Pugh, an ex-police officer, offered to sit with the man filming to make him feel safer.

Footage shows the man in the high-vis jacket squaring up to Mr Pugh as they board the train and shouting “you dress like a little f****** monkey.”

The abuse continued after the passengers had boarded the train as they turned against a woman sitting opposite Mr Pugh.

A second video shows a younger thug making more jibes at the ex-cop, saying he will "take everything you've got" in an apparent threat to mug him.

Warning: This video contains strong language.

Video: Adam Pugh

Mr Pugh told News Shopper: “I asked politely why that was necessary and that there were children around.”

After getting off the train at Elephant and Castle to collect three-year-old Ezra from nursery, Mr Pugh said he was followed by the yobs, who continued to abuse him as he walked down the street.

“They kept telling me I dressed like a monkey and were shouting homophobic slurs,” he described.

Mr Pugh, who grew up in Deptford, said he was proud to come from such a multicultural borough.

“For them to be so open and so brazen and abuse anyone and everyone even the women in front of their children – it just feels like that kind of behaviour is normalised,” he said.

After witnessing the incident, Mr Pugh does not feel personally threatened by the thugs, but worries for his son.

“If I’m on my own I can run, but I don’t want to see them when I’m with my son. That makes me a little more apprehensive about his safety and wellbeing,” he said.

A spokeswoman for British Transport Police confirmed: "BTP was called at 12.01pm on 21/06 following an incident where two men are reported to have shouted racist and homophobic abuse at passengers at Bellingham train station.

"They then continued to shout similar abuse as the train travelled towards Denmark Hill.

"Enquiries into the incident are ongoing. Any witnesses or anyone who knows the identity of those involved are asked to contact BTP by texting 61016 and quoting reference 212 of 21/06/19."