POLICE in Accrington have reassured the town's youth that an unprovoked attack on a teenage girl sparked by her 'Goth' clothing was a one-off.

The 16-year-old was stabbed in the back as she waited with her boyfriend for a bus in Peel Street on Thursday.

Detectives insist such trouble among youngsters is very rare - and that the attack paints a false portrait of the town.

But today Victim Support Lancashire said such an assault can leave the victim distressed after being targeted in that a way.

A spokesman for the service said: "Every victim of crime will react differently in the circumstances but there is always an added element of distress for any victim who feels they have been targeted for a reason.

"That could be the colour of their skin, their race, religion, or in this particular instance, the clothes they are wearing."

The girl, who has not been identified, was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary for treatment. Her injury is not thought to be serious.

Soon afterwards, three teenage girls were arrested. They are currently on police bail awaiting further inquiries.

Sergeant Mark Porter, of Accrington Police, said: "These incidents are very few and far between. The sad thing is that it makes people think that we do have violent crime and puts fear into people of us having a violent town, where in fact it's an isolated incident.

"I cannot recall the last time anybody got into a fight over clothing. I want to reassure people that it's a one-off incident and it has been dealt with.

"I am not naive enough to think that teenagers don't fall out and then occasionally it comes to blows but I would like to think that it's all of a very low level that we have all experienced through schools and it's dealt with in an appropriate manner by the appropriate authorities."