A young man is in a serious condition in hospital after being beaten repeatedly by a wooden bat.

The assault happened yesterday afternoon at around 3pm in Courtney Mews, Walthamstow, behind St James Street train station.

It was witnessed by various people at the bus station where the 212 and 275 buses terminate.

The 19-year-old suffered bruising and cuts to his torso and a severe gash to his head.

Garage worker Mark Eve, 48, witnessed the attack and tended to the victim with another man until the ambulance service arrived 20 minutes later minutes later.

He said: "I was working in the garage and we had the sander going and the radio on. I looked up and all I saw was this young boy on the floor being hit with a rounders bat."

Police cordoned off the area for six hours and bus routes were diverted. No arrests have been made and enquiries continue.

For the full story see next week's Waltham Forest Guardian and Chingford Guardian - out next Thursday.