This is the moment a group of teens attacked a man on a train platform after witnesses said he "asked them to stop vaping"."

Philia Pragma, 54, witnessed a group of four or five young males appear to assault a man who repeatedly asked them to stop vaping on a busy train, she said.

According to Philia, the boys, estimated to be around 15 or 16 years old, boarded the train at London King's Cross on May 24 and began vaping almost immediately.

A middle-aged man standing nearby asked them several times to stop, she said, noting that there were children present and that the carriage was tightly packed.

The teens ignored his requests and continued vaping, she said.

When the man got off the train at Hitchin in Hertfordshire they followed him onto the platform and began beating him, she said.

Philia, an actress in Cambridgeshire, said: "It was truly shocking to see this behaviour."

"I could see the boys follow the man off the train specifically to attack him."

"About five of them all jumped on top of him and pinned him to the ground."

"The middle-aged gentleman was with his own group so luckily they were there to help break it up and a member of the station's staff came quickly over as well."

"The fight ended as quickly as it started and I assume the boys got back on the train."

"I didn't see them get back on, but they weren't on the platform when we were pulling out and they had no where else to go."

Philia noticed the vapers as soon as the train set off from London's King's Cross station.

As the train was very busy, many passengers were either standing or sitting in close proximity to one another.

Philia watched as a man got into a heated argument with the group over their vaping, she said.

She said: "The man asked them in a calm but firm way if they could stop vaping."

"It was really disturbing some of the people sat closer, especially because it was such a busy train and no one had anywhere else to move to."

"The boys refused and argued that because they are 16 they should be able to vape."

"The man then made the point that there were young families on the carriage and that vaping around them could be harmful."

"The boys clearly didn't care and kept on as if nothing was happening."

Philia said the argument continued for about 45 minutes, until the train reached Hitchin station, where the man was getting off.

To her surprise, the boys followed him off the train even though she had overheard them earlier saying their stop was Peterborough.

Philia said: "I almost couldn't believe it."

"They had been going on about how they were going to be on the train a while, that they were going all the way to Peterborough, so that's why they 'needed' to vape."

"So when they got off at Hitchin, everyone was confused until we saw the fight break out."

"Then I realised they only got off briefly to beat on this poor man before, I'm assuming, jumping right back on the train to finish their journey."

Philia's train pulled out of the station before she could see much else.

She added: "I know that the barriers for that station aren't far from where the fight broke out so a member of staff came over pretty quickly."

"As we were leaving the station, I saw another arrive, but at this point the boys were already gone."

"I did see the middle-aged gentleman after the fight and he seemed relatively uninjured, but I imagine he must have been shaken up."

British Transport Police said: "Officers were called to Hitchin railway station at 8.25pm on 24 May to reports of a fight on the platform."

"Officers attended, and two teenage boys and a 22-year-old man were arrested on suspicion of affray."

"Enquiries are ongoing, and anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police by texting 61016 or calling 0800 40 50 40 with the reference 746 of 24 May 2025."