A TEENAGE girl was beaten to the ground and kicked in the face by a gang of ten on her way home from work.

Chantell Melissa Hayward, 19, from Basildon, was walking home after her shift at a fast food restaurant when she was attacked a group of boys and girls.

Halstead Gazette:

Attacked - Chantell Melissa Hayward, 19, from Basildon

She said: “I left work around 8.30pm on Saturday and decided to walk as I’d missed my bus.

“I walked through the underpass near Pipps Hill through to Gloucester Park, and as I got near the park I heard a lot of loud noises so I just carried on walking.

“Then out of nowhere, about ten people - boys and girls aged around 16 - jumped out of nowhere and started to attack me.

“They pushed me to the floor and punched and kicked me in the face and I could hear them laughing.

“I was so scared I couldn’t move for about 20 minutes, then I got up and made it home.”

Chantell said she is still suffering from shock so has not reported it to the police yet but is planning to as she wants those responsible to be caught and pay for what they have done.

She suffered cuts and bruises to her face and head but said she cannot afford to take time off work to recover.

She said: “If I don’t work I don’t get paid, so I can’t take any time off but I am in a lot of pain.

“My face is like a golf ball.

“It all happened so quickly I can’t remember a lot of it.

“I feel confused as to why this happened to me.

“I did nothing wrong.

“It’s a sick world we live in.

“I’m too scared to even go out now unless I have to and if someone is taking me.”

Chantell said she had nothing of any value worth stealing and that the group of youths did not try to rob her and were just looking for someone to attack. Anyone with information about the attack can still call police on 101.

No crime reference is available yet but police can still take the information provided with Chantell due to report the crime last night.