Police are investigating a serious hate crime after a man was stabbed on a train at Forest Hill train station by an attacker who reportedly shouted  "I want to kill me a Muslim".

A 38-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of GBH and is currently in custody after police were called at 1.18pm yesterday afternoon.

UPDATE: Man charged with attempted murder after Forest Hill train attack

The injured man, who is in his 40s, was taken to hospital with what is believed to be stabbing injuries and is in a serious but not life-threatening condition, BTP said.

A witness told News Shopper: "A man has stabbed another man at forest hill train station then chased people outside the station with a knife."

Miguel Oliveira, 36, said he came "face-to-face" with the attacker, who was "shouting uncontrollably" after he allegedly stabbed a man at Forest Hill station.

Mr Oliveira, a music composer from Forest Hill, said he was met with a "wave of people" when he arrived at the station following the incident.

He told the Press Association: "The first few were shouting 'he's got a knife, he's got a knife' and then all of a sudden the next ones said 'Oh he's been stabbed call the police'."

He added that some members of the crowd were shouting: "He wants to kill Muslims".

Mr Oliveira left the station but returned a few minutes later amid confusion over the whereabouts of the attacker.

He said: "I doubled back and I went back to the station and actually came face-to-face with him.

"He had just come out - not the way they were saying.

"He was walking towards me and he was shouting stuff like 'Death to Muslims' and 'Go back to Syria'."

News Shopper:

Photo: Twitter/ @rustlem

Shellby Curry, 24, from Forest Hill, was with her one-year old child when she saw a man "waving what looked to be a knife in his hand" near the station and screaming words like "Muslims f***ing hate them, kill them all".

She described the attacker as a black man with short hair, who she thought appeared to be in his late 30s or early 40s.

Several people phoned the police, who arrived around 10 minutes later and restrained him, Miss Curry said.

"I was walking along and someone stopped and said 'be careful, he's got a knife'. As I looked around there he was.

"I just grabbed my baby and ran across the road. Looking back [I saw] him marching up and down waving his arm about."

News Shopper:

Photo: Twitter/@se23ldn

Eyewitness Richard Etienne was on the train to Forest Hill when he was confronted by the attacker.

The train had just left Honor Oak station when he heard someone at the back of the train shout: "I want to kill me a Muslim", he told LBC.

"I look up, I'm thinking it's another crazy person and many other people on the carriage did very similar - hardly anyone moved or anything", he said.

The man, who was walking with "serious intent", then made his way into Mr Etienne's carriage.

He said: "As he walks towards me, he looks at me right in my eye and then stopped and looks at the woman right opposite me wearing a hijab.

"And he now - at this point - turned and faces her so I just have his back to me and I cannot see the woman.

"I can see that he's brandished a knife towards her. It looked about five inches in length."

The attacker then shouted at her "I don't want me a Muslim woman, I want me a Muslim man", Mr Etienne said.

The man then moved up the train into the first carriage, continuing to shout.

"The next thing I hear is a scream and I can see about three of four guys jumping towards the scream. So my assumption is they tried to stop the guy and hold him down.".

After the train pulled in at the station, the attacker walked "calmly" away but was "still shouting", Mr Etienne added.

BTP are investigating the circumstances of the incident and have said that they are treating it as a serious hate crime but that there is 'no suggestion of a wider terrorist aspect'.

Senior investigating officer Det Ch Insp Paul Langley said: “This was a serious assault on a man in broad daylight and we are aware that other passengers may have seen what happened or been threatened themselves.

“We have spoken with many witnesses from the train but if you saw what happened and haven’t yet contacted police, please do so as soon as you can.”

News Shopper:

Photo: Twitter/ @rustlem

Gloria Lowe, headteacher at Sydenham School in Dartmouth Road, has released a statement to parents and carers.

She said: "There was an incident at Forest Hill station at lunchtime today in which a member of the public was hurt.

"A suspect has been arrested and there is a strong police presence both at the station and in the local area.

"School staff will walk pupils down to the station and ensure pupils getting the train feel safe and secure doing so.

"Staff will see students onto the buses as they usually do and we will have additional staff out and about at the end of the school day so pupils are supervised on their way home.

"There is no more or less danger to pupils today but we are aware they may feel worried which is why we will be supporting them in making their way home."

Police officers are at the station today to offer reassurance to passengers following the attack.

Anyone with information is asked to contact British Transport Police on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016, quoting 205 of 12/12.

Did you see what happened? Get in touch on jessica.clark@london.newsquest.co.uk or 01689 885 725.