A WOMAN has told of the terrifying moment she was attacked by a gang of girl thugs.

Sahara Hassan, aged 21, was walking through Great Lever when two girls pounced on her from behind.

They forced her arm behind her back and pushed her against a wall while their four friends robbed her of her phone and handbag.

All were wearing school uniform, and all but one were girls.

Terrified Mrs Hassan, of Fernstead, Deane, said she thought the youngsters were going to beat her to death.

She said: “I was shocked. I would never have expected something like this to happen in broad daylight in a busy road, and it was very frightening.

“There were lots of people driving past.

“I was scared because I didn’t see where they came from and I thought they were going to start beating me up. I thought that if I tried to defend myself it could turn really nasty.

“You don’t expect children to do something like that at that sort of young age and in that environment.

“If that’s what they’re like at school, then what are they going to be like as adults? It’s shocking.”

Mrs Hassan, who moved to Bolton from Somalia a year ago, speaks very little English.

Her husband, 29-year-old Ahmed Umal, translated for her.

She said: “I was screaming because I was so scared, and all I could understand was that they kept telling me to shut up.”

The ordeal only ended when three passers-by came to Mrs Hassan’s rescue by chasing the attackers away.

They also managed to recover her phone and handbag.

The attack happened on Friday, November 13, at 3.15pm, less than a mile from the Essa academy, where the robbers are thought to be pupils.

Mrs Hassan, an English student, said she did not blame the school or the children’s parents, but said the girls may have fallen into the wrong crowd.

Sgt Steve Baldon, from the Bolton South neighbourhood policing team, said: “We are aware of the incident and are working closely with the school to try to establish whether these children were from the Essa Academy. I would like to stress that the investigation is at a very early stage, and I would appeal for anybody with any information to contact the police.”

Police visited the school yesterday to investigate. The academy, in Lever Edge Lane, Morris Green, is hoping to use its attendance records to ascertain what happened, as the incident took place during school hours.

Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 5660 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

julian.thorpe@theboltonnews.co.uk