A young mum who was attacked with bleach says she won't let thugs win - as new figures showed the extent of hate crime in the region.

Reem Fahad, 24, a social support worker, was walking along Crown Street in Horwich at 1.30pm on Tuesday when horror hit.

The mum-of-one watched as a liquid, thought to be bleach, was thrown over her by a group of men in a moving car as they chanted racial insults.

Speaking after the attack, she pledged: “I am not going to stop living because of a few ignorant young men. I will never be afraid and there will never be a time where I am — that’s when they win.

“They have probably been bred to hate, I feel sorry for them. You can’t fight hate with hate."

The attack in Horwich comes as leaders called on residents to put forward ideas on how to tackle hate crime.

Bosses, including leaders from the fire and police services as well as community and voluntary groups, have been putting together a plan to tackle the crime.

It comes on the back of new figures showing the extent of the problem.

Home Office statistics suggested a 14 per cent rise in recorded hate crime incidents in the last year - with 1,123 more incidents recorded compared to 2017/2018. However, Greater Manchester Police disputed these figures.

According to the force, in 2017-18 there were 9,121 recorded instances of hate crime.

In 2018-19, that figure stood at 8,983 - showing a slight decrease.

Read more: Mum attacked with bleach as men 'shouted monkey noises'

Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime, Bev Hughes said: “Greater Manchester is a place where everyone should feel safe to be themselves.

“No one should face violence, abuse or hatred just because of who they are, who they love, where they’re from, what they look like, or what they believe.

“Hate incidents and hate crime will not be tolerated in Greater Manchester.”

Hate crimes are acts of hostility, such as violence or verbal abuse, directed at people because of who they are.