A toddler was left "traumatised" after a drunken man repeatedly offered her chicken bones as she passed through East Croydon station on Sunday evening. 

Zya McIntyre, 2, was hassled on her father's shoulder by an unknown man in his early 20s who walked behind the family on their way home, offering her the remains of his meal. 

As soon as her father noticed, he challenged the stranger, who Zya's mum Sarah McIntyre says was "unapologetic and unbothered."

Ms McIntyre, 21, who lives with Zya near Wandle Park, said: "My daughter was initially scared and upset.

"She is very shy when it comes to strangers who she’s never met before, and especially as the guy was drunk and in her face.

"She struggled to go to bed that night.

"He was very drunk and didn’t seem like he even knew what he did and the amount of upset he caused.

"At this point I stepped outside the station with my daughter and 3 month old to not further traumatise her with all the shouting going on."

The family had spent the day at Westfield picking out toys for Zya's upcoming third birthday.

Ms McIntyre, a full-time mum, says the incident demonstrates that a greater security presence is needed at train stations.

She added: "Her dad called the police as there was no transport police to assist at the station.

"When he called they said there is nothing they could do at the moment but would check the cameras - which I doubt they actually did.

"There were absolutely no transport police there to assist us. So many drunk people and this could have potentially have been dangerous if I didn’t turn around at the right time and realise he was speaking to my daughter.

"East Croydon station on a Saturday night should have at least once officer to assist with these kind of situations."