An NHS doctor fighting coronavirus was two hours late for work on Friday morning after his tyres were slashed outside his De Beauvoir home.

The Whipps Cross Hospital doctor, who has asked not to be named, believes the attack was targeted because no other vehicles in De Beauvoir Square were damaged.

All four of the car’s tyres were slashed.

After posting about it on Next Door, neighbours said there had been other incidents of NHS workers with signs in their cars being targeted in a similar way.

His partner told the Gazette: “We believe this to be targeted as having spoken to our neighbours, nobody else has had this happen. He obviously uses his car frequently during this lockdown to travel to and from the hospital. There’s no note suggesting this was to stop him driving, but it does feel quite pointed.”

They are now warning others to be mindful and look out for each other.

Last month NHS chiefs warned staff to hide their ID badges because some were being mugged by people out to use their badges to obtain free food and drink available to health workers.

Hackney police have been contacted for comment.

For the latest coronavirus news from across north London join our Facebook group here. Click here for our directory of support groups for people in Hackney.