POLICE are appealing for help tracing a woman alleged to have subjected an Asian family to a torrent of racial abuse.

Police have released CCTV stills of the woman, thought to be in her late teens, who harassed the family on a Metro train service from Sunderland to Pelaw on June 15.

She was among a group of three teenagers who racially abused the family throughout their journey and the incident was reported to train operators Nexus by fellow passengers who did not intervene at the time because the severity of the abuse made them afraid for their own safety.

British Transport Police have now traced the witnesses, collected statements and opened an investigation into the incident.

BTP PC Gavin Alcorn from the Metro Unit said: "I would like to appeal for the family who were the victims of this attack to make contact.

"We will not tolerate this type of behaviour on the rail network and it is vital that if it does occur that we apprehend and prosecute those who commit such offences".

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to ring British Transport Police on 0800 405040 quoting crime number C05/087793/07