TWO men have been hospitalised after a vicious attack by a gang of eight youths.

The 18-year-olds were attacked with poles after a fight broke out on the N207 bus in Greenford on Sunday when a group of men stole a mobile phone from a male passenger on the bus.

The fight spilled out onto the lower deck of the bus, where the two 18-year-old victims were standing.

As the bus reached Cowgate Road stop outside Greenford ambulance station, the muggers ran off, returning minutes later with four other friends.

They approached one of the 18-year-olds standing on the other side of the road and hit him with what police believe was a metal bar.

The teenager was knocked to the ground and suffered a gash to his face and was taken to Charing Cross Hospital where he is undergoing plastic surgery to repair the injury.

Passengers from the bus were then transferred to a second N207 after police were called to the scene by the bus driver.

Before they arrived, the eight youths boarded this bus to hunt down the other 18-year-old involved in the fight.

They went to the top deck and attacked the teenager with a wooden pole, hitting him repeatedly round the head.

He suffered swelling to the head and grazes on his face.

He was taken to Ealing Hospital to receive treatment.

"This is a very distressing incident," a police spokesman said. "It could have been far more serious than it eventually turned out.

"It is a very sad state of affairs that someone should be the victim on a bus at 5.30 in the afternoon."

He added: "We cannot allow people to be walking the streets carrying offensive weapons like this.

"If anyone has information we would like them to come forward.

"We are looking at all relevant CCTV footage and hope we will be able to make some arrests following that."

The attack happened at 5.30 pm when many passengers were on board.

The assailants are described as slim, black men in their early 20s wearing dark hooded tops.

Call police on 0208 246 1212