London's Regent's Park is plagued by early morning hammer attacks on cyclists, intentional wheel punctures and masked thieves - but police say they 'can't' patrol before 8am

Terrified cyclists have called on the Met Police to start patrolling parks earlier in the day after swathes of violent robberies have seen them threatened with hammers and sharp objects.

The muggers have been operating in Regent's Park, London, where more than 30 cycling clubs meet between 5.45am-7am every day before the area opens to cars.