Now too afraid to go out walking on her own, she said she was grateful for the intervention of a Good Samaritan who bravely chased her assailants and dragged them back to apologise.

Elgin councillor John Divers condemned the attack, and praised the efforts of the hero in sparing the woman any further harm.

"It's quite appalling that something like this can happen," said Councillor Divers. "The poor woman must have been fearing for her life.

"The person who came to her assistance needs to be thanked for what he did."

The incident took place just after 8pm last Thursday, moments after the pensioner had walked over the new railway bridge on Reiket Lane in the east side of the town.

She became concerned when she had to pass through the group of teenagers - believed to be aged between 12 and 16 - who were throwing stones at each other, and after she spoke to them about their behaviour, something smashed on the roadside right next to her when she turned her back.

"I told them I thought what they were doing was stupid, and one of them yelled back 'No, we're very mature'. Then I heard a noise, and realised they must have thrown something pretty big and solid, like a brick or a large stone or something," she said.

At this point, a tradesman emerged from a yellow Transit-type van parked nearby, ran after the youths and pulled them back to have them apologise to the woman.

"I was so shaken up that I don't even know if I said 'thank you', but I want to say it now," she said.

"He was a real hero, and not many people nowadays would be prepared to do what he did."

But the attack has left the woman feeling vulnerable and too scared to go out in her own neighbourhood.

"I had not been frightened about walking home before, but now I don't want to. I'm going to get a taxi from now on," she said.

"With everything you read in the newspapers today, I don't know what might have happened if this man hadn't got involved. It could easily have escalated from there; I really don't want to think about it."

The terrified pensioner said she locked all her doors and drew the curtains after becoming aware of another hooded youth walking nearby as she made her way home.

She called the police, who sent a car round to check on the neighbourhood.

Councillor Divers said he was unaware of any other disturbances in the area, but said that people should not be left fearing for their safety in their own neighbourhood.

"My heart goes out to this lady, and I can only hope it was an isolated incident," he said.

c.christie@northern-scot.co.uk

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