Homeless man fighting for life after two rough sleepers attacked in London

One man arrested and another suspect sought after two attacks just hours apart

Detectives have identified a man from CCTV footage they wish to speak to in connection with the two assaults (Metropolitan Police)

Two homeless men are in hospital, one in a critical condition, after they were attacked in the street in central London.

Police have released CCTV images of a man they want to identify in connection with the two separate incidents.

Officers were first called at about 4.30am on Thursday to reports two men were assaulting a rough sleeper in Westminster, a short walk from the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey.

By the time officers from the Metropolitan Police arrived on the scene the suspects had fled, but the 44-year-old victim was taken to hospital by paramedics where he remains in a critical condition.

After combing through CCTV footage, detectives investigating the attack believe one of the two suspects was also in the same area of a separate assault just two hours after the first.

Another homeless man suffered head injuries after he was attacked outside Waterloo train station, a 25-minute walk away from the initial incident in Westminster.

The second victim, aged 32, has also been taken to a south London hospital where he is in a stable condition.

The man police have identified on CCTV and wish to speak to is white and was wearing a dark blue jacket, blue trousers and white trainers.

A man aged 34 has also been arrested in connection with the second assault in Waterloo.

Anyone with information on the two attacks or the man pictured in the CCTV images is asked to contact the Metropolitan Police by calling 101 and quoting the reference CAD 1910/07May.