A WOMAN who was left with horrific injuries after a brick was thrown in her face, has spoken about the attack for the first time.

Kathleen Owen, 60, said she was lucky to keep her eyesight after yobs threw a brick over her fence, which left her with three fractures to her cheekbone and forced her to undergo painful surgery.

The semi-retired bookkeeper still suffers vision problems and faces further operations.

She spoke out as detectives reappealed for information to the attack.

She said: "I still get flashing in my left eye. The bone is protruding underneath the eye so I'll probably have to have another operation. I'm in a lot of discomfort."

Mrs Owen was at home in Wood View, Grays, when she heard a commotion in the field at the back of her garden.

She went to investigate and saw around 25 youths hanging around in the field.

Mrs Owen said: "As I turned to walk back in, I got whacked in the face with something and I felt my face had been broken.

"I thought it was bleeding heavily, but it wasn't, it was bleeding on the inside.

"I screamed from the pain and I had a job to stand upright."

Mrs Owen was taken to Basildon Hospital where surgeons feared she would lose her sight after she developed bleeding at the back of the eye. She kept her vision, but she faces further operations on her face.

Mrs Owen said: "If anyone does know who did this to me I would urge them to come forward.

"I don't know if these people threw the brick to do damage to me.

"There were quite a number of people on the field that night and there could be somebody who didn't realise how serious this was and may now have a conscience and come forward."

Investigating officer Det Con Tony Robinson said: "Mrs Owen received terrible injuries as a result of this assault.

"What makes it even more shocking is the fact she was in her own garden at the time - a place that many people would consider their own private sanctuary."

Witnesses to the assault at 7.40pm on January 25, can contact Grays CID on 0300 3334444.