Extra security is to be provided to try and prevent racial violence after three Asian residents were attacked in a racially motivated incident in Whitton.

On August 10, the day the country was put on high terror alert after fears terrorists were set to detonate bombs on trans-Atlantic flights, a group of youths assaulted three Asians, from Mill Farm Crescent, as they walked home at 9.45pm.

Police arrested three people at the time for the attack, described as racially motivated, and four more a day later, another person has since been arrested for witness intimidation.

Seven of the eight, who have been released on police bail while a decision is made on whether charges should be brought, also live in Mill Farm Crescent.

Police have stepped up patrols in the area.

Last Wednesday, at about 6.15pm, they had to disperse a group of youths who were gathered near the victims' home.

Community representatives, ward councillors and staff from Richmond Housing Partnership (RHP) have met with the police and have issued a letter asking residents of Mill Farm Crescent to join together with the authorities to defeat the violence and antisocial behaviour that has occurred.

The letter was signed jointly by Councillors Bob King, Bill Treble and John Coombs, Wendy Kyrle-Pope from Richmond Community and Police Partnership, Prehlad Dhall from the Ethnic Minorities Advocacy Group, David Done from RHP, Gillian Norton, the chief executive of Richmond upon Thames Council and Ian Edwards, the police borough commander.

The group also agreed to provide security for the victims and the other law-abiding residents of the area who have taken a stand against the racial attack and antisocial behaviour in the neighbourhood.

Mr Edwards said: "We all condemn this racial attack and are committed to bringing the offenders to justice.

"We have agreed further steps to prevent further incidents of this nature and to support the victims and law-abiding residents of Mill Farm Crescent.

"A letter is being delivered to all the homes in Mill Farm Crescent to explain the steps that we are taking.

"This includes using civil injunctions, antisocial behaviour orders, the robust enforcement of tenancy agreements and the relentless pursuit of anyone who engages this sort of behaviour or any form of intimidation against any witness or member of the community."

A Richmond Council spokesman said: "The letter, of which the council's chief executive Gillian Norton is one of the signatories, reflects the council's strong stance on antisocial behaviour and racially-motivated and other forms of hate crime.

"We fully support the police in their actions."