Emergency services were called to University railway station, at around 8PM on Thursday night (11/08), to reports of a disorder on board a train from Worcester Foregate Street.
On arrival, crews found a man, aged 58, with a head injury. He was taken to hospital – he is expected to be discharged from hospital later today (12/08).
It is understood the fight was between two separate groups who boarded the train at Worcester Foregate Street at around 7.30PM.
Officers from British Transport Police (BTP) are appealing for witnesses to the disorder, which took place on the 6.48PM Hereford to Birmingham New Street service.
Chief Inspector Chris Hodgkiss, said: “This level of violence is totally unacceptable and will not be tolerated, and we are determined to identify all those involved and bring them to justice.
“This kind of behaviour on a train, where people wish to travel in peace and free from incidents of this nature, is frankly disgraceful.
“We have launched an investigation and we are speaking to potential witnesses to establish exactly what happened.
“I would urge anyone who was on that train and can tell us more about the circumstances leading up to the fight and how the man became injured to contact us.”
The eight men who were arrested and remain in police custody are as follows:
• A man, aged 41, from Birmingham, on suspicion of violent disorder and causing grievous bodily harm.
• A man, aged 54, from Birmingham, on suspicion of violent disorder and possession of a Class A drug.
• Four men, three aged 50, 34 and 28 from Birmingham and one, aged 28, from Coventry, on suspicion of violent disorder.
• Two men, both aged 60, from Birmingham and Solihull, on suspicion of affray.
Please call BTP on 0800 40 50 40 or text 61016 quoting reference 556 of 11/08/16 if you have ANY information.
