Seven people were attacked with pepper spray in a Chinese restaurant in Oxford.

Shocked diners and staff at the newly-opened Lan Kwai Fong restaurant – formerly the Elm Tree pub – in Cowley Road, Oxford, needed hospital treatment after the incident at about 10pm on Saturday.

Police said two white men walked into the restaurant and sprayed four diners in a private function room with pepper spray. Another was punched.

Staff who tried to stop the men were also sprayed.

A group of five Chinese students — three men and two women — had hired the room for a night of karaoke.

Three members of restaurant staff were also assaulted, including a waitress who had liquid sprayed into her eyes and mouth.

Paramedics and police were called to the restaurant, at the corner of Alma Place and Cowley Road.

The restaurant had to close early because of the incident.

Nothing was stolen during the attack, which lasted “a matter of minutes”, according to restaurant owner and manager David Chu, 30.

Mr Chu described the men as white, aged in their mid-to-late 20s or early 30s, were wearing jeans, tracksuit tops and baseball caps.

After the men left the restaurant, which does not have a CCTV camera at its entrance, they headed off in the direction of Iffley Road.

Last night, Mr Chu called for CCTV cameras to be installed along Cowley Road.

There has been a long-running dispute between police, Oxford City Council and traders over a plan for surveillance cameras in the street.

A decision to install some cameras was made last year, but nothing has happened since.

Mr Chu said: “This is another example of why Cowley Road should have CCTV. It would have helped the police in this instance.

“The people (in the private function room) were Oriental, so it might be racist. It’s just Chinese people here, so I can’t think of any other explanation.

“One of the men went into the room and we heard some noise — staff went to have a look but one of the men was at the door stopping us getting in.

“We tried to stop them, but we couldn’t, because they were spraying us as well.

“The girls were quite scared, they were in pain.

“One of my colleagues was sprayed directly in the eyes and mouth and found it difficult to breathe.

“They went to hospital, because the police didn’t know what kind of spray had been used.

“The two people who did this were prepared. People don’t carry pepper spray around with them normally.”

Last night, a Thames Valley Police spokesman said: “We’re keeping an open mind about motives behind the incident, but would urge anyone with information to get in touch.”

Anyone with information should call Oxford police on 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.