A DEFIANT gay couple claim they will not be hounded from their home, despite an ongoing homophobic hate campaign.

Kirsty Lord and her partner, Samantha Dewhurst, have suffered verbal attacks and their Darlington home has been vandalised since they moved in last May.

The police are investigating the latest incident, on Tuesday night, when graffiti was daubed on the side of their house and paint was sprayed on the windows.

Before moving to their present address, the couple lived in Edgemore Road, Firthmoor, where they were also the target of abuse.

Ms Lord said: "We are constantly harassed by people around here.

"Children as young as 12 shout at us and attack our property. This is not the first time we have been the subject of abuse, but it has been a lot worse since we moved here."

The couple, who live with Ms Dewhurst's five-year-old daughter, say they will not be hounded out.

Ms Lord said: "You do feel like you want to move out, but we have put a lot of money and effort into this house, so why should we move?

"It's mainly kids, but the parents are as bad. They seem to think it's okay for us to be shouted at because we live together.

"We are most concerned about Sam's daughter. Why should a five-year-old have to live like this? It is terrifying for her and we don't know what we are going to wake up to next."

Ms Lord, 30, and Ms Dewhurst, 24, have been together for more than four years and, although they have lived in Darlington all their lives, they have faced continual prejudice.

Ms Lord said: "Just because we refuse to hide our relationship we get all this abuse. But where can we go to get away from it? It makes me so angry - what have we ever done to hurt anyone?"

Darlington police confirmed that they were investigating the latest attack, and cleaners from Darlington Borough Council were being sent to remove the paint from outside the house.