Detectives are hunting three men who punched, kicked and bottled a man as he waited for a tram yesterday.

The 30-year-old victim, from Sydenham, was listening to music as he waited for a westbound tram at Sandilands when he was approached by three men who began talking to him.

As he removed his earphones he was punched in the face, causing him to fall to the floor.

The men then took his old Nokia mobile phone from his pocket before kicking him and smashing a bottle on his head.

The victim stumbled aboard a tram to East Croydon, where the incident was reported to police.

An ambulance was called and the victim was taken to Croydon University Hospital for treatment, before later being discharged. He is now recovering at home and has been left extremely shaken by the incident.

The suspects are all described as black and aged between 20 and 25, with their faces covered by scarves. They were last seen running towards East Croydon.

Detective Sergeant Steve Maguire, said: "This was a brutal and utterly callous attack that saw an innocent man beaten, simply for his old mobile phone.

"The victim had absolutely no chance of defending himself against these three cowards, who were not only content with robbing this man's phone but felt it necessary to hospitalise him in the process.

"Members of the public should rest assured I and my team of detectives will do absolutely everything in our power to find those responsible and bring them to justice."

Anyone with information about the incident should call 0800 40 50 quoting reference B6/LSA of 8 May.

Alternatively contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.