Families 'living in fear' on estate targeted with racist graffiti

A mum has today told of her horror at waking to find her home covered in racist graffiti, after several properties were targeted in an overnight spate of hate. Red crossed were painted on the doors of a number of homes, in Birtley, Gateshead, with messages also written on fences.

- By SOPHIE DOUGHTY

It is understood a wall at the front of Barley Mow Primary School was also defaced. Police say they are treating the vandalism as a “hate crime”. And today one of the victim's, who had a cross painted on her door and the words “This is England” scrawled across her fence, has told how the incidents have left her living in fear.

The 44-year-old said: “It is frightening. It’s worrying for the kids to see it and we are worried because they are walking to school alone.”

The mum-of-four, who asked not to be named, was born in India and has lived in the UK for around four years. The woman, who works as a senior carer, says she has never suffered any prejudice since moving to the country and had previously felt safe in Birtley.

"We don’t know what happened because it was overnight. We saw it yesterday morning and we were very surprised and sad" she explained. “We have lived here for four years and we have had no problems. This is the first time. We just don’t know why.”