TWO Polish men were attacked and racially abused by youths after they were approached by two women while in Huntingdon s Co-op store. Cambridgeshire Police said the men, who are both aged 20 and live in the town, were asked by the women if they were Polis

TWO Polish men were attacked and racially abused by youths after they were approached by two women while in Huntingdon's Co-op store.

Cambridgeshire Police said the men, who are both aged 20 and live in the town, were asked by the women if they were Polish. When the men confirmed they were, four youths appeared, racially abused the men and assaulted them.

The attack, on Tuesday, July 25, at 9.30pm, continued as they walked from the store on Sallowbush Road and headed home.

The youths followed the men, punched one in the face and then attacked their home, smashing glass in the front door.

Sgt Karen Ingham, hate crime manager for Huntingdonshire and the Fens, said: "Huntingdon is home to a diverse population which, for the most part, is peaceful and enjoys relatively low levels of crime and disorder. Incidents, such as this assault on two Polish men, which appears to be racially motivated, will not be tolerated and reports will be treated with the utmost seriousness."

Officers investigating the assault said the youths were described as white, aged between 16 and 20 and had brown hair. The first wore baggy blue jeans and a white T-shirt. The second had a scar on his eyebrow and wore a blue T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms. The third wore khaki-style shorts and was bare chested. The fourth was wearing blue trousers, a brown top and a dark-blue baseball cap.

Figures released by Cambridgeshire Police in central division from April 2006 to date, reveal there have been 26 racially aggravated crimes.

From April 2005 to March 2006, there were 104 incidents compared with 153 reported cases in the same period the previous year.

INFORMATION: Anyone with information should contact Pc Anthony Grief on 0845 4564564 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.