The mother of the teenager who was attacked in Northlands Park has spoken out.

The woman, who cannot be named, said her daughter, 19, has been targeted by social media users who have called her a liar, claiming she had made up the whole incident.

On September 25, the girl was walking through Northlands Park, in Felmores Road, Basildon, at 5.30pm when she was attacked by a man holding a red and black fishing bag. Luckily, she managed to fight the man off.

The mother said: “My daughter and I are very upset about what happened. And we’ve got people who keep on messaging us asking questions about what happened, and some even called my daughter a liar, and other bad words.

“She’s very upset and shaken up, and she is trying to deal with it in best way she can. She doesn’t want to go out the house now unless she’s with me, or someone else is with her.

“She’s very quiet and doesn’t even want to talk anymore about what’s happened. But I know she’s not lying about it because I saw the mess she was in and her top was ripped in pieces.

“Too many people like to judge. Northlands Park hasn’t been very safe in general, and since they put the bail hostel right opposite the park I think the area has got worse.

“I hope the man is caught as soon as possible before he attacks someone else.

“I think there should be more police patrols in the area. A lot of children go and play in the park too.”

An Essex Police spokesman said: “Detectives want to urgently trace four people, who helped the woman after the attack.

They are believed to have been teenage boys who had been in the nearby skate park, and they retrieved the victim’s mobile phone from the man.”

The attacker was described as white, between 50 and 60 years old, 6ft3ins tall and of skinny build.

He was wearing grey tracksuit bottoms which were ripped and a dirty jean jacket. He had scruffy, shoulder length hair, and a long white beard.

The man had tattoos on both arms, and what is believed to be the word “death” tattooed on his right knuckles. He also had three stars tattooed around his right eye.

Anyone with information is asked to call Essex Police’s Public Protection Unit on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.