A WOMAN who had stones thrown at her by teenage yobs has spoken of her terrifying ordeal.

Teresa Cook, 57, was left with a broken ankle in the attack, which happened as she walked her dog, Lucky, in Ive Farm Lane, Leyton.

Mrs Cook, of Villiers Close, said: “They started tormenting the dog and I asked them to stop but they wouldn't.

“I had stones and bricks hurled at me. This was at about 6pm and there were about five or six of them.”

She added that she now feels afraid to walk down Ive Farm Lane and will only walk as far as a barrier designed to keep traffic out.

“Nothing like this has happened before,” she said.

“Generally, this area has always been quite safe. I was always taking the dog out down there but I wouldn't do that now.”

The youths jumped over a fence and ran off in the direction of an Afro-Caribbean store, Mrs Cook said.

She received hospital treatment for her injuries and had her ankle put in an aircast brace.

“They were throwing these big rocks,” she said.

“They caught me on the ankle.”

Lucky, a small terrier, was not hurt in the attack but Mrs Cook said he now looks behind him whenever she takes him out for a walk.

Mrs Cook described the youths who attacked her as being of dark complexion, all aged between 16 and 18 and all wearing tracksuits and hooded tops.

The attack happened more than two weeks ago, but police are only now releasing details of the incident.

Anyone with information about the assault, which happened at about 6pm on August 3, is urged to call Det Con David Cann on 8345 3015 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.