Teenage yobs sprayed a substance in the face of a terrified mum and threw concrete at her.
The 61-year-old, from Felling, Gateshead, was walking along a pathway near Pelaw Metro Station at around 12pm on Monday afternoon when she was approached by two male youths, aged around 13 or 14.
One of the teenagers reportedly used a small spray bottle to spray a substance into her face and continued to do so when she asked him to stop. He allegedly made abusive comments before picking up a lump of concrete and throwing it at her cheekbone.
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The mum-of-two, who had left her mobile phone on charge at home, was badly shaken by the incident. She was left with headache and numbness on the side of her face where she was hit.
Her 60-year-old husband, who is furious by the incident, said: "These yobs, these vile individuals, were out to cause harm, were out to cause suffering and were out to cause injury.
"My wife had been out for a walk, she was in the Pelaw, Wardley area heading towards the metro. They just came from nowhere, two male youths aged about 13 or 14.
"One of them was carrying a bottle of substance and sprayed it in her face. She asked him to stop but he continued to spray this substance in her face. My wife became petrified, she was fearful.
"He made sexual innuendos about her mam. Her mother's been gone a long time. He was abusive, threatening and he was being vulgar.
"She saw an elderly gentleman coming along and thought hopefully they will clear off. The same youth picked a stone up, smashed it into her face then ran off."
Her husband said that when she arrived home she was in complete shock. He said: "I knew there was something wrong and something serious had happened.
"I think the substance being sprayed in her face was more traumatic then the physical assault. She didn't know what was in that bottle. It could have been bleach or it could have been acid.
"She's still very upset and still very traumatised by it. She felt vulnerable, she felt exposed and she was fearful. She was very much afraid, she didn't know which way this was going to end."
The woman was out having a walk by herself when she was targeted on Monday afternoon. She was walking along a pathway, next to a green area, between Lansbury Gardens and Green Lane and heading in the direction of Lidl and Pelaw Metro Station.
She was then approached by the two teenagers, who were described to be wearing black puffer jackets. One of them reportedly carried out the acts while the other was with him.
The woman is now afraid of going out for a walk by herself. Her husband said: "This happened in broad day light at 12 o'clock. It's led to her being, very, very upset. She will never walk down there in that area again.
"Where on earth do they get a brick from and what were they doing on the streets at that time of day? The parents have got to stand up and ask some questions here."
The woman's husband wants to warn other people to be "careful and vigilant". He said: "I'm just as upset and shocked as my wife.
"What I would say to people is stick to main areas and make sure they have a mobile phone on them. Had my wife had a telephone on her today, she would have been able to call the police."
Northumbria Police said the incident has been reported to them and they are investigating.
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