SPAIN has demanded British authorities investigate the increasing number of xenophobic attacks against Spaniards in the UK following last year’s Brexit vote.

Figures suggest that since the last June’s referendum, xenophobic attacks on those perceived to be from abroad or speaking foreign languages have grown.

Tomas Gil, a 27-year-old from Valencia, was talking to his girlfriend in Spanish after a night out in Poole, near Bournemouth, when he was attacked by a thug.

When Daniel Way overheard the pair, he tore a plank of wood off a building and smashed it into the Spaniard’s face shouting: “F***ing Spanish, Speak English”.

The incident was caught on CCTV and was widely reported, leading to Way being prosecuted.

Podemos have sinced tabled a parliamentary question to the government asking for information on how many xenophobic attacks have been reported by Spaniards in the UK and what is being done to tackle the growing numbers.

Spain’s government said: “We have sent details of specific cases of which we are aware to the UK’s Foreign Office and Home Office and have requested an investigation”.

Spain’s Embassy in London has a statement on its website for those Spaniards who suffer aggressive incidents or attacks.

It reads: “The Spanish Embassy in London and its consulates in London and Edinburgh have been aware of various incidents and attacks that have affected Spanish citizens residing or passing through the United Kingdom.

“For this reason, it is advisable to report to the British police and to inform the Embassy and Consulates of any incident or aggression, so that it is possible to give the necessary attention to the victims and their families and to carry out the appropriate follow-up with the British authorities.”

Almost 5,500 racially or religiously motivated offences were reported to police in the month after the Brexit vote on June 23 last year.