Shocking video footage shows the moment men fought with metal baseball bats in a violent Croydon street brawl.

The brutal fight initially initially involved two men who can be seen violently swinging huge metal baseball bats at one and other as terrified shoppers walk by.

The fight was caught on camera in broad daylight in Croydon, by commuter James Hackett as he walked home from work on Monday (September 9).

He said he couldn't believe his eyes when he walked out of West Croydon tube station at 4.30pm to what he describes as a brawl similar to that "in a movie".

Maintenance manager James, 26, decided to take out his phone to record the violence, which eventually involved around a dozen men.

His video includes the spine-tingling sound of the metal bats clashing as the pair exchange blows.

The men - who James said were aged between 18 and 22 - lash out of each other in front of a row of shops surrounded by shoppers during the evening rush hour.

"At first I honestly thought it was a film shoot. It was like something you tend to see in a film", said James, from Croydon.

"I didn't think it was real at first. They were really going at each other.

"It's the worst violence I've ever seen. Someone could have died if they'd have been hit in the head with one of those bats.

"You must be crazy to do something like that. It was really violent."

James said he is unsure how the fight started or what the two men were angry about.

He said he didn't see anyone get injured during the fight and didn't see any police officers at the scene.

The fight lasted for around a minute, according to James, and only involved the two men who can be seen in the video.

Onlookers tried to break the pair up but backed off when they started to dangerously swing their weapons through the air.

James said: "I heard loads of shouting but only two people had baseball bats.

"Loads of people crowded around them. People came out of side streets to see what was going on.

"I have no idea what it was over or how it started.

"I didn't see anyone get injured. I was in the area for about ten minutes and didn't see any police or hear any sirens."

At this stage it is not known if the incident was reported to the Metropolitan Police.

The force has been contacted for a statement.