Trains staff issued with badge-cams on Greater Anglia services

Conductor Nathan Long said aggressive drunks seem to "instantly stop as soon as they see the camera"

Camera badges are being introduced for train conductors on routes where a train company says eight staff are assaulted every month.

Badges worn by Greater Anglia conductors and ticket inspectors have in-built cameras which store recorded footage when a button is activated.

Senior conductor Nathan Long said most angry or intoxicated people calm down when they see the camera.

He was recently attacked by a passenger who threw a drink over him.

"On some of the later London services, that can be busy with revellers, people see it and it makes them feel safer," he said.

"Most people, if they're angry or they've had too much to drink, instantly stop as soon as they see the camera. They calm down.

"I was assaulted the other day and I had it then. The evidence goes to the police."

Greater Anglia said the camera badges protect staff and make other passengers feel safer

Greater Anglia operates train services across Cambridgeshire, Essex, Hertfordshire, Norfolk and Suffolk.

The firm's crime and intelligence manager, Mark Burgess Lawrence, said: "This is about protecting our staff - but everyone benefits as it's unsettling for everyone when an altercation occurs."

The majority of offences against rail staff arise from a minor issue such as staff challenging an individual with an incorrect ticket, the train company said.

Sgt Paul Thompson, of the British Transport Police, said: "Body-worn cameras are an effective tool used internationally by police forces to gather evidence.

"Violence against employees on the railway will always be taken very seriously and officers will use every means at their disposal to ensure perpetrators are brought to justice."