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A man has told how he stepped in to help a young woman in a hijab who was verbally abused by a racist on board a Tube train in the wake of the Paris terrorist attacks.

In a Facebook post that has been liked more than 32,000 times, Ashley Powys said he boarded the Victoria line train at Oxford Circus at 8pm on Monday and sat opposite the woman.

He told the Standard things turned ugly when a man, who was in his 30s, got on the train and began hurling racist abuse at the girl.

He said: "He got on after me at Oxford Circus, there's one person that just avoids the doors closing, and unfortunately that was him."

In his viral Facebook post he described the man's verbal assault on the young girl, who Mr Powys said "can't have been older than 18".

He wrote: "[He] stood at the connecting door of the tube and began to stare at this girl. After she looked at him and looked away, he went nearer to her and said, 'f****g p**i', quite loudly.

"He then got closer to her, and was reeling off abuse calling her things like 'r*gh**d', 'terrorist', 'scum', and saying that 'her people' murdered the victims of the Paris attacks this weekend."

The 22-year-old said he then stepped in to intervene, prompting the man to turn on him instead.

He told the Standard: "When that first little thing came from his mouth I was putting my headphones in and luckily heard it before they went in.

"He was reeling off all these terms, your adrenalin kicks in, I thought 'I'm not having that'.

"I'm 6'1", I'm strong, at the end of the day, I'd rather him turn on me because I can take it, than an innocent girl."

In his post on Facebook, he said he challenged the man: "Without thinking, I automatically stood up and had to physically push him away from her, as he was aggressively close and was clearly terrifying her.

"He then luckily turned his attention onto me, calling me a "terrorist sympathiser", among other things. I sat down next to this girl, who at this point had tears in her eyes, and I asked her what her name was. She told me it was Yara.

"The man continued to shout abuse at her while I distracted her asking about her day, and other smalltalk topics, all the while making sure I was a barrier between her and this guy, so he didn't have direct access to harm her."

Mr Powys, who lives in Stockwell, said he was so concerned by the abuse the girl had faced that stayed on the tube with her to Brixton to escort her safely to her friends.

He wrote: "We got to my stop and I asked her if she'd like me to stay on until her stop. When I asked, tears started running down her face because of what she called 'my tremendous kindness and bravery'.

"I don't think that's true. I just saw someone in need, and it was my human nature to do what I could.

"At her stop, I escorted her off the train and up the escalator to where her friends were meeting her.

"I asked her if she receives that sort of abuse often, and to my shock she said she does.I gave her a hug goodbye, and told her in confidence that there are many more people like me, and she should never have to feel afraid in her own country.

"And this *is* her country, and her city."

Mr Powys, who works at the Apple Store in Regent Street, said he was shocked that nobody else on the train had stood up for the young girl.

He told the Standard: "It was the Victoria line, it was Oxford Circus, the amount of people on that train, it's upsetting.

"I'm just glad I could do something. It's not like I'm a big hero though, because I'm not.

"I hope that Yara does see the Facebook post, or that people like her see it. It's nice for them to know there are thousands and thousands of people out there who are actually on their side.

"You'd expect it more in smaller communities, sheltered communities, because you don't get exposed to different cultures.

"I work with people from every single corner of the globe, and I didn't think that still happened, especially in London."

In the Facebook post, he wrote: "What shocked me most about my journey is that not one other person on that crowded train stood up for Yara. They sat in silence and allowed that abuse to happen. That's the problem with our society. Silence is our biggest weakness. We need to start speaking up and defending each other.

"I love living in London because of the diversity of character and culture. Every day in my job I learn something new about people.

"But when we twist that diversity as a "threat" or an "invasion" we're embarrassing ourselves and diminishing and insulting the cultures of others.

"People like Yara don't deserve abuse for the clothes they wear, the colour of their skin, or the faith they follow. Personally, in the stage of history we're living in, I think it's incredible for people like her to showcase their beliefs, despite the onslaught.

"Yara is much braver that I am. And she, and people like her, inspire me to stand up for what *I* believe in. And that's an equal, kind, and understanding society despite religious and cultural differences. After all, we're strongest when we're united."

Mr Powys, who orginially comes from north Wales, but has lived in London for three years, said he only ever expected his post to be seen by his friends, and had never imagined it would reach so many people.

Since sharing the post on Monday night he said he has been innundated with supportive messages from people from all sections of the community.

He told the Standard that he had been contacted by a girl who said that his message had given her the confidence to go out wearing her hijab for the first time in six months.

He said: "It's Yara's story that I shared, the story of so many young muslim women, and even young muslim men.

"I've helped some people to be proud of their religion, and heritage, and that's amazing, it's really made my day.

"Especially because of all the media coverage of the Paris attacks a lot of people are scared, it's a sad state of affairs, but I'm glad a lot of people aren't thinking that way."

He told the Standard that the message he wanted people to take away from his post was the same as he wrote on Facebook: "I want us to send a message to Islamic State, and any other group who inspire fear and hatred.

"I want us to send the message that what they destroy, we'll rebuild together. What lives they take, we'll remember together. And what people they target, we'll protect together.

"Our best resource is each other. And we should be able to rely on that. Please take care of each other. Both friends and strangers. You never know when you might need someone to do the same in return."

Did you see the incident? Do you know who the woman is? Have you heard of a similar story on the Tube or a London bus? Contact our news desk on 0203 615 2500 or news@standard.co.uk