A brave 12-year-old girl stood up to a drunk man who was abusing her friends on a tram.

Christine Adams Hutton was travelling to New Addington by tram with three of her friends when the incident happened on Wednesday, July 15.

She and her friends – a 15-year-old girl, and two boys aged 14 and 12 – were on their way home from Croydon at about 10pm when a man, who appeared drunk, boarded the tram and started shouting at the kids, swearing and being very abusive.

The tram stopped at Addington Village where three of the friends, including Christine, decided to get off and get a bus, leaving the 14-year-old boy on the tram.

The drunk man got off too but then leapt back on to the tram where he grabbed the boy and started to verbally abuse him again.

Fearing for her pal, Christine jumped back on the tram, grabbed her friend and pulled him away from the man.

She said: “When I saw him grab my friend I just thought ‘oh my God’, but because I’ve been doing martial arts I felt more confident.”

The Carshalton School for Girls pupil took up kickboxing in April.

Mum Judy was pleased her daughter was able to stand up for herself but said she was concerned she had to use her newfound confidence on a trip home with friends.

She said: “This should not be happening on the trams. A group of four teenagers should be able to go home without being abused by other passengers.”

A British Transport Police (BTP) spokesman said: “We are conducting a number of local enquiries, including speaking with witnesses, and would like to hear from anyone who saw anything or who has any information that could assist our investigation into this incident.”

The man police would like to speak to is white with brown hair, and of medium build. He was in his 30s and was about 6ft.

Anyone with any information should call BTP on 0800 40 50 40 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

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