Residents are demanding a return of a police station in Richmond after a gang attack at the entrance of Tesco and over 300 teens gathered on Richmond Green.

A man in his 50s suffered serious, potentially life changing, injuries to his head in the attack at just before 9pm on Friday.

At around the same time, police officers and members of the Council's Park Guard security teams were dealing with hundreds of teens involved in drinking and antisocial behaviour on the Green.

Richmond Borough has been viewed as a low-crime area, however it has seen a rise in crime, antisocial behaviour and attacks on cyclists ranging from Richmond Green and Riverside, through Twickenham to Teddington and even leafy Bushy Park.

A police officer involved in tackling the incidents on Friday told residents: "Working alongside Safer Neighbourhood Teams we attended Richmond Green today, to a mass of approximately 300+ young persons.

"They appear to be from Ealing, and have congregated to celebrate finishing Year 11. Alongside Park Guard, we began to make conversation and our presence was enough to begin to dwindle the crowd.

"We got the crowd down to a more manageable amount of about 100, when we received a call regarding an assault on George Street. We attended and arrived first on scene."

He added: "This is a live investigation so I cannot go into too many details, however, a …. male was attacked by a group of kids, who fled the scene.

"The male was found lying injured outside Tesco, where I myself began first aid, and my colleagues quickly gathered witnesses, began a crime scene and collected CCTV. 

"The male was taken to hospital in a stable condition with potential life changing injuries… At present no arrests have been made, and the investigation is ongoing with CID."

He added: "We believe this to be an isolated incident, but continue to patrol weekends and peak times in order to clamp down on antisocial behaviour and crime within the Town Centre and wider environs.

"Some of our colleagues from the East side of the BCU were driving around Richmond Green in a marked carrier to deter any further Violence or Antisocial Behaviour.

"I can only reiterate to everyone, that we are doing our very best with as many resources as we possibly can, to keep Richmond safe."

The victim of the attack was not a Tesco employee. A spokesman for the chain said they are assisting the police with their enquiries.

Richmond Green has become a magnet for groups of teens with evidence of drinking, drug dealing, antisocial behaviour and violence.

Residents around the Green, together with the local MP, councillors and Richmond Society have been pushing for a return of a police station or permanent police presence in the town.

Richmond Police station was closed in 2017 and developed into flats and a pizza restaurant as part of a wider cost cutting effort dating back to Boris Johnson's time as mayor.

Last year, a petition calling for a new station and patrols, which was started by Neighbourhood Watch co-ordinator in north Richmond, Pam Staffell, was signed by over 500 residents.

Residents reacted to the attacks on social media saying the borough needs more officers.

One said: "Richmond needs its police station back. Crowds always descend on Richmond in the evenings."

Another said: "Lack of police in Richmond again I am afraid contributes to this sort of thing - not enough police around to prevent the antisocial behaviour that keeps getting worse."

Richmond Police said: "Police were called at 21:23hrs on Friday, 15 July to reports of a group assaulting a man on George Street, Richmond.

"Officers attended and found an injured man. The man, believed to be in his 50s, was taken by the London Ambulance Service to hospital where his injuries have been assessed a potentially life changing.

"Any witnesses are asked to call police via 101 quoting reference CAD 7907/15Jul."