A YOUNG girl who was badly hurt after a glass beer bottle was thrown at the window of her grandmother’s car has spoken of her ordeal.

Nine-year-old Abbie Keers was left covered in broken glass and bleeding heavily after the passenger window of the Fiat Punto was smashed at about 10.30pm last Friday.

The incident happened on the A693 in Stanley, as the car travelled from the roundabout near the library towards the Asda roundabout.

The family were on the way to Shotley Bridge Hospital with Abbie's three-year-old sister, Lexi who was in the back with their mother, Clare Webb.

Abbie, of East Stanley, said: “We were driving along and the bottle came through the window. I thought my grandma’s tyre has popped. There was a bang and the sound of glass breaking.”

Abbie suffered cuts to her nose and above her eye and needed plastic surgery in the early hours of Saturday to remove glass from her face.

She said: “They took me into a room to take the glass out. Then they put me to sleep and I had an operation.”

But on Sunday she still competed in a gymnastics competition at TyneMet College, in Wallsend and came second, winning a silver medal.

Her grandmother, Sandra Webb said: “She is doing really well. We are all proud of her. She is handling it better than me. She is like a grown up. She is my superstar.”

Police praised the way Abbie has handled the ordeal and urged whoever threw the bottle to come forward.

Acting Inspector Michael McGowan said extra patrols were being carried out in the area to reassure the community and said the person responsible should hand themselves in.

He said: “Abbie is very, very brave girl and it has been a traumatic incident but she has got courage and bravery beyond her years. I have got a lot of respect for that young girl.

“I would like to appeal directly to the person responsible to contact us. You must now know the consequences of your actions and that the police need to speak to you. Do the right thing and get in touch with us.”

To contact the police call the non emergency number 101, or ring Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555-111.