Two teenage girls were beaten in random and unprovoked gang attacks within minutes of each other while walking home from school in Gravesend.

Meopham School pupils Katy Webb, 14, and Ellie Stevens, 13, were targeted by a group of older girls in separate assaults within yards of their homes.

The teenagers, not known to each other, were pounced on by the gang of seven after getting off the school bus.

They say the girls who carried out the violence were wearing St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School uniforms.

Police confirmed they were investigating the reported assaults, which took place last Wednesday.

At 3.50pm, Katy was walking home with a friend in Russell Road when the gang jumped on her back and repeatedly punched her in the head.

The 14-year-old also had clumps of hair ripped out as the group pulled her to the ground.

"It’s heartbreaking because Katy wouldn’t say boo to a goose. It could take years for her to recover..." - Stephen Webb

Katy’s parents Sara and Stephen, of Russell Road, said she was scared to leave the house, and needed lights switched on in every room.

Stephen said: “It’s heartbreaking because Katy wouldn’t say boo to a goose. It could take years for her to recover.

“She thinks everybody is nice and she’d probably forgive them.

“Now she’s petrified. She can’t go to the toilet by herself, doesn’t like leaving the house and has to switch on all the lights in the house.”

Mum Sara added: “I took her to Asda to get her out of the house and every time a trolley came near her she was jumping on me. It is just devastating.”

Minutes afterwards, Ellie was confronted by the group in Canal Road who asked her if she was scared before they pulled her to the ground and punched her, leaving her with cuts and bruises to her face.

Ellie said: “They crowded me and asked ‘Are you scared? Are you scared?’ I said no and carried on walking and then they ran up to me and tried to punch me.

“They missed but they hit me with the follow through and then they pulled me to the ground. I was shouting ‘get off me’.”

The attack only ended when a witness in a car stopped to shout at the group to leave the 13-year-old alone.

Her dad John, of Canal Road, said: “When Ellie phoned me up she was hysterical, she couldn’t get the words out.

“She was lucky. It could have been a lot, lot worse. It would knock your confidence and kids should be able to walk about near their homes.

"When Ellie phoned me up she was hysterical, she couldn’t get the words out... I know a lot of parents are worried about their kids walking around in Gravesend..." - John Stevens

“I know a lot of parents are worried about their kids walking around in Gravesend.”

Meopham School’s head teacher Suzanne Dickinson said she was aware of the attacks and was working alongside police and other schools to prevent more violence.

She said: “We are aware of unprovoked attacks made on two of our students in the Gravesend area last week.

“The attacks appear to be indiscriminate and localised to one area of the town.

“We are working closely with the police and community wardens as well as other secondary schools in an attempt to resolve this issue.

“We would urge parents to remind their children how to keep themselves safe at all times and follow guidelines given by schools.”

Sean Maher, head of school at St John’s Catholic Comprehensive School, said: “As a school we would obviously help the police with their inquiries if they speak to us.

“If it transpires these were our students, then we will deal with this firmly and appropriately.”

A police spokesman said: “It was reported that at around 3.50pm on January 21, a group of teenage girls assaulted a 14-year-old girl in Russell Road, leaving her with a cut to her face.

“In a separate incident on the same day, it was reported that between 3.45pm and around 4pm, a group of girls assaulted a 13-year-old girl, leaving her with cuts and bruises.

“Inquiries into the incidents are ongoing.”