Police have issued this image of a man they want to speak to after a 69-year-old photographer was attacked and thrown to the ground as he tried to step onto a bus in Hampstead

Ham & High: Victim Ron Vester. Picture: Polly Hancock.Victim Ron Vester. Picture: Polly Hancock. (Image: Archant)

As reported in the Ham & High, photographer and wildlife campaigner Ron Vester, who has taken numerous photos for this newspaper over the years, was attacked on the C11 in Agincourt Road on Saturday March 7 at about 1:30pm,

He was travelling towards Parliament Hill Fields when he noticed a man shouting abusively at fellow passengers, telling them to get off the bus.

Mr Vester claims the man lunged towards an elderly passenger who told him to stop shouting.

The driver stopped the bus and told passengers to get off after the elderly passenger complained that he had been “hit in the face”.

Mr Vester attempted to reboard the bus when the driver started up the engine again to be met by his alleged attacker.

He said: “As I stepped on, the guy stopped me and asked, ‘Are you a kid as well?’ I answered, ‘Do I look like a kid?’ He then grabbed both my shoulders and hurled me backwards.”

Mr Vester, who is on crutches while waiting for a hip replacement, was thrown to the ground and required help to get back to his feet from a nearby witness.

The suspect is described as an Eastern European man, with short dark hair, aged about 35-50 years, wearing a dark green fleece with yellow lining.

Officers would also like speak to a fellow passenger who was standing near rear exit doors on the same bus, who is not a suspect - described as a middle aged white male, wearing a dark coloured woollen hat.

Anyone with information should contact Sgt Peter Byrne from Camden Safer Transport Team on 020 8733 6845 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 quoting ref: 2306520/15