Gazette Live
A teenage girl fought off a hooded attacker with her impressive karate skills.
Shannon Stacey, 16, who has a brown belt, was walking along a path close to her home in Normanby in Middlesbrough at around 1pm on Friday (July 11).
She noticed a branch on the ground blocking the path, and as she bent down to move it, a hooded attacker jumped out and punched her in the face.
The hooded man then demanded that Shannon gave him her phone, money and shopping bags.
Shannon refused and was punched and kicked a further three times, before being pinned to the ground. But the plucky teen was having none of it, and used her brown belt karate skills to fight off the man and run home.
"I was walking from the bus stop with my earphones in when I felt something hit the side of my face," Shannon told her local paper, the Gazette Live.
"It didn't know what to think at first; everything went dark and I could hear a buzzing sound before I saw a man stood over me. It was then I realised he had punched me.
"I kicked and punched as much as I could and he eventually stopped. I was screaming as loud as possible which I think must have scared him off."
The attacker - who was wearing a snood type scarf covering his face and grey gloves - eventually fled on a red and white bike.
Shannon's mum Helen Stacey, who was in the kitchen at the time of the attack, said: "Shannon ran through the gate screaming and crying with blood pouring from her face. It's any mother's worst nightmare - I instantly thought the worst when she said a man had jumped on her."
Shannon was taken to Middlesbrough's James Cook University Hospital for X-rays on her face and wrist.
"I rang the police who were here in minutes," added Helen, who is also mum to Adam, 12, and Joe, two.
"It was just horrendous. We were all in a state of panic and shock. I'm just glad she has done karate. She has been very brave, and we just all hope whoever did this is caught before it happens to someone else."
Shannon's attacker is described as being in his 20s, tanned, of average build, with a local accent. He was wearing a grey tracksuit.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101.