A MOTHER-OF-TWO was battered and bruised in a town centre road rage attack.

The woman, who is too scared to be named for fear of her home and her place of work being targeted, was punched in the face and left in agony.

She was attacked by the driver of a car as she crossed Railway Road, Blackburn, close to a zebra crossing and was left with a suspected broken cheekbone.

The car skidded to a stop on the crossing outside the bus shelter and a woman stepped out of the passenger side carrying an alcopop.

Then the driver also climbed out through the passenger door and punched the victim across her face.

She said: "I was just heading in to town to do my last errand of the day at the chemist.

" took one step in to the road but could see the car speeding round the bend so stepped back on to the pavement.

"The driver had to hit the brakes to slow down but when it was safe to cross I did. I remember saying to him: 'You're going to kill someone if you drive so fast'.

"I can only think that he was angry that he had had to slow down for me to cross the road or perhaps because of my remark.

"At first I thought he had hit me once but he must have knocked me out. Witnesses who were in the bus shelter said he hit me more than once."

The attack happened at 7pm last Monday but police have delayed releasing details of the incident until today.

They have withheld the woman's identity and place of work to protect her from any future attacks.

Two on-lookers came to the immediate attention of the victim and called the emergency services who were on the scene in minutes.

The car which is said to be maroon or red, with blacked out windows, performed a U-turn after the attack and headed off towards the train station.

The youth and his passenger got out of the car a second time and threatened on-lookers who were at the scene.

PC Stewart Roberts said: "We are anxious to speak to anyone who may have seen anything in the Boulevard or Church Street area."

The driver is described by the victim as being of Asian origin, clean shaven, aged between 19 to 23 and about 5ft 6ins tall.

He was wearing a light coloured track suit and a base ball cap.

The passenger was described as a white woman, aged about 20, with long blonde hair which was partly tied up.

During the last year police have launched a number of initiatives aimed at clamping down on town-centre violence.

The council and pubs and clubs have also brought in their own schemes.

Police are appealing for anyone with more information to call them on 01254 51212.