Police have refused to reveal the gender of two people suspected of punching a 60-year-old woman in the face during a brawl at a transgender event in case they get it wrong.

Scotland Yard, apparently concerned about a potential backlash, said it was “a grey area” and dependant on how the suspects describe themselves.

“We have to be very careful,” she said. “We are not going to commit ourselves to something because I’m afraid it’s not black and white.”

One of the suspects, who allegedly knocked the woman to the ground, smashing her camera and kicking her several times, is described as being of “white, around 5ft 7ins and of slim build with brown chin-length hair with blonde ends.”

The other had short blonde hair and was wearing a black, grey and white hooded camouflage jacket and multi coloured leggings.

A third suspect is a confirmed man, around 6ft tall with brown shoulder-length hair worn in a pony tail.