Gang attack terminally-ill woman

Mrs McFarlane said she was thumped hard in the back

A terminally-ill woman in a wheelchair has been assaulted by a group of youths who hit her on the back of the head.

Police said the attack in Woolworths in Biggin Street, Dover, Kent on Saturday, may have been filmed on a mobile phone.

The youths were seen laughing and looking at a mobile phone after the attack on Beverley McFarlane, 41, who has lymphoma, a form of cancer.

A Woolworths spokeswoman said the firm is co-operating with police and all stores had CCTV and security guards.

Mrs McFarlane said she grabbed her bag before being thumped hard in the back.

She said the attack began when one youth banged a tin of chocolates she had on her knees.

It was an outrageous attack on a clearly defenceless victim Det Sgt Andy Preece

She said: "I grabbed my bag, thinking that they might grab my bag, and then another boy came behind me, and thumped me in the back.

"It was that hard it made me cry."

And she added: "When I was younger you never had any of this.

"They wouldn't dream of hitting people, they had respect for people - these children obviously haven't got any respect for anybody."

Act of cowardice

Det Sgt Andy Preece said: "It was an outrageous attack on a clearly defenceless victim, a lady who was so obviously disabled.

"It's quite a severe act of cowardice, albeit that she wasn't severely hurt.

"It's the offence to public decency that I find the most troubling."

The main offender was white, aged 14 or 15 and slim with mousy hair. He was wearing a grey hooded top with a white t-shirt.

Police have urged other young people in the group to "do the right thing" and contact the force.

A spokeswoman for Woolworths confirmed there was an incident with one of the customers, and some youths.

Staff alerted a supervisor to the incident, who radioed for police backup.

The staff then intervened and asked the boys to leave, after which the incident was "in police hands", she said.