The woman, who does not wish to be identified in order to protect her daughter, said the teenage girl left the family home just after 11pm to go and visit her brother who lives in a street nearby and had been left upset by what had occurred.

"She was at home in Aubery Street and left the house about 11.10pm to go to her brother, and as she got to the end of the street there was several lads there," said the mother. "A couple of them grabbed her by the back of the hood and hit her on the back of the head.

"She managed to wriggle free and we are thankful that the assault was not more serious. But there is a back lane beside that, and had they pulled her towards that we don't know how bad it could have been. We dread to think what could have happened."

The women revealed that her daughter never slept for the remainder of Saturday night and had been "very shook up" by the attack.

"Her father reported it to the police that night and we went down to the station on Sunday and made a statement," she said, adding: "We totally condemn the young lads who did this to our daughter and then ran away. We think they are all aged between 16 and 18.

"The assault on her might not have been very serious but the underlying intentions are such that it could have been very serious had they got our daughter into the lane.

"One of them threatened her with a bottle. Initially when she saw them she thought they might have been from the area and walked on, but they started shouting at her 'I want you' and 'Come over here'," she added.

Community worker Jeanette Warke, who works with young people from the interface area, said: "We have had this kind of thing before and I am concerned that young people don't even feel safe in their own community.

"This is a case of young lads trying to pull at a young girl and this could have been a very serious incident.
"This wee girl is very upset and I would urge parents to have a word with their young people and explain this behaviour in inappropriate. But to be honest there are some people who when they get their kids out of the house they just don't give a hoot," she said.
A spokesman for the PSNI The attack was reported to police at 11.45pm on the 28th. It is understood the teenage girl was attacked by five or six youths in the Wapping lane area of the city. Two of the youths were wearing grey hoodies and they ran off in the direction of Carlisle Road following the incident.