A PETRIFIED dog walker says she feared she had been sprayed with acid when yobs shot liquid at her from a passing car.

Alex Jones, of Foxhatch, Wickford, was walking her pet pooch Betty along Twinsteads when teenagers armed with water pistols shot at her while leaning out a car window.

Betty, a westie cross mini schnauzer, “jumped out of her skin” during the incident, when two yobs shot a pair of water pistols each at them.

The 20-year-old immediately feared the contents of the water pistols could have been acid or another harmful substance.

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She said: “I was completely gobsmacked.

“They pulled up alongside me and sprayed us both. There were three boys in the car.

“It could have been a lot worse.

“Who knows what could have been inside.”

Anti-social behaviour has become increasingly prevalent across the town in recent months.

Wildlife, homes and cars have all been targeted by yobs armed with catapults, who have launched eggs and rocks to cause mayhem.

A goose was killed in the Wick Country Park earlier this year, after it was swung around by its neck.

A pair of geese were also shot and killed in Gloucester Park in Basildon last week.

The attack also saw two other birds injured and subsequently euthanised after being shot with a catapult.

Miss Jones believes the culprits were around 17 years old, and believes other walkers were targeted too.

The worried dog owner added: “I rang my brother who was out at the time to tell him to be careful.

“He would be the last person I would want targeted by these people. I’ll be taking my mum with me next time. My mum and dad weren’t too happy when I told them what had happened.

“Betty has been scared of water since she was a puppy. Even when it is summer and its hot she doesn’t like it.”

David Harrison, councillor for the Wickford Park ward, added: “We have to get on top of this. This could have been a lot worse.

“Sometimes I think the parents of these kids need to keep an eye on what they’re doing.

“This kind of poor behaviour is on the up at the moment.

“I think a lot of people are scared to intervene when they see it going on because there’s so much of it happening.”