A Labour MP was attacked by a gang of hooded thugs in a brutal mugging in south London.

Adrian Bailey was pinned down by youths and struck on the head with a milk bottle as he walked home from Elephant and Castle on Tuesday.

He was left "badly shaken up" and bruised when he was attacked by "up to six" assailants at around 10pm, he said.

The MP for West Bromwich West told the Standard: “I cut through a council estate to get through to Crampton Street and there seemed to be an unusual number of youths around.

“I kept walking and one overtook me on his bike, cycled to the end of the path and placed his bike across it.

“I heard footsteps behind me, someone jumped on my back and I managed to get him off me.

“Then another jumped on my back. I called out to a man who I thought was passing by but he turned out to be another member of the gang.

“All three of them pinned me down. One of them took a plastic milk bottle and smashed it over my head. One was threatening to punch my face.”

He handed over his phone and wallet containing £100 cash before the attackers ran off and he made his way home to call the police.

Despite some "bumps and bruises", he did not require hospital treatment.

He said: “I came out remarkably unscathed but I was badly shaken up.

“First it was a sense of unreality, then I realised what was happening. When I heard the steps I was braced for him.

“At that point I wasn’t sure if others were involved or I would have tried to punch him.

“But I am 72 and I am awaiting a hip replacement, so was not in a position to take on three of them.”

Mr Bailey, who is a former chairman of the Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee, returned to work on Wednesday morning.

In a statement he thanked the police and said the incident highlighted their value on the streets.

He said: "I appreciate that many other people have gone through what I went though last night and it really brought home to me the value of having bobbies on the beat to deter such attacks.

"Every member of the public deserves the right to walk about in a safe and non-threatening environment.

"The Metropolitan Police response has been excellent and they are working hard with me to identify the perpetrators of this attack."

A Met Police spokesman said: "We were called at 10.26pm on Tuesday to Crampton Street, Southwark, to reports of a robbery that had occurred earlier that evening.

"The victim, a 72-year-old man, was approached by a group of males and assaulted.

"The suspects made off with several items of property belonging to the victim who sustained minor injuries. No arrests at this stage, and enquiries continue."

If you have any information that could assist police, call the Southwark Community Safety Unit on 101, Tweet @MetCC or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.