Police are appealing for witnesses after a couple were subjected to racial abuse and threats of violence in Auriol Park in Epsom earlier this month.

The hate crime took place in Auriol Park on the evening of June 9, around 8.45pm.

A woman and her husband were walking past the suspect and another man who were sitting on a bench when "the suspect started shouting at the victims using racially abusive language.

"The couple tried to walk away but the suspect continued to harass them, threatening to punch the man and shouting at the woman," a spokesperson for Surrey Police described.

The racist abuse occurred amid a wave of popular resistance against racism in the US, UK and elsewhere led by the Black Lives Matter movement that demands racial justice.

They added a description of the man believed to be responsible, who in is white and in his early twenties:

"The suspect stayed in the park but his friend cycled away on a push bike shortly after the incident.

"The suspect is described as a white man, in his early 20s , 5ft 9 tall, with short brown hair and was wearing a black tracksuit.

"Hate crime will not be tolerated in Surrey. Surrey’s profile of hate crime is constantly developing and we rely on those affected coming forward and making reports.

"Victims having the confidence in both themselves and us to make reports is incredibly important if we are to know the true extent of hate crime in our county," the spokesperson said.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or may have any information which may help police with their investigation, including dashcam or CCTV footage, is asked to call 101 and quote ref PR/45200059552, or CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

People who have been targeted by hate crime are meanwhile asked to report it by calling 101 (999 in an emergency), the Stop Hate UK helpline on 0800 138 1625 or downloading the Surrey Stop Hate UK app on the Apple and Google app stores.