A WOMAN was punched in the face in an unprovoked attack, leaving her with injuries that are scaring her child.

Miroslava Cicerova, 34, from Southend, was on the way home from a night with friends.

While speaking Slovakian on her phone a stranger, with a ring on his finger, struck her in the face.

She was left with a black eye, cuts and bruises and the inprint of the ring on her nose.

The attack took place on Fairmead Avenue in Westcliff on December 5, between 10.30pm and 11pm.

In an attempt to get away, Miroslava ran quickly back to her home, but fell as she ran and bruised her ankle.

Miroslava, otherwise known as ‘Mirka’, is originally from Slovakia, but has been living in Southend for ten years.

She has been in a relationship with her partner Shaun for nine years.

Her mother-in-law Kim, 59, said: “She was walking home on her own talking to her friend on the phone in her language when she was punched. Whether that was something to do with the reason for the attack we don’t know. It could have been any reason.

“She didn’t know if he said anything, she just remembers being punched and running away, it happened in a split second.

“She said he was white, tall and skinny, and was wearing black jeans.

“It was only a short distance she had to walk on her own, from one end of the road to another.

“When I saw her I was really angry. There was so much blood on her I told her to throw her top in the bin.

“I was trying to get any information from her that I could.

“She wouldn’t go to the hospital. We think from the injuries on her nose whoever hit her had a ring or something on, which left that cross mark.”

The mother of two is upset while Kim is angry.

She added: “Shaun was fuming and has told her she can’t go out on her own.

“My granddaughter is scared of her now. She has autism so she sees everything in black and white.

“She says ‘mummy go away’ when she sees her injuries, so Mirka has to cover them with make-up.

“Mirka is afraid still and is worried now about walking to work. She is having trouble walking at all where she fell.

“She’s worried someone will walk down the road following her. There has been no problems before, until now.

“She was already going through a hard time, it was the anniversary of her mum passing the next day.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We are investigating this as an assault. There is no indication that it was a hate crime at the moment. Please call us on 101 with any information.”