THE parents of an amateur model left with a ten-inch facial scar after being attacked by a female riding school boss yesterday rubbished reports that their daughter flirted with the woman's boyfriend.

Scarred Gina Sassetti was attacked by 41-year-old Christine Tate after they returned to the equestrian centre run by Tate's partner Stephen Gair.

At Newcastle Crown Court earlier this week, Tate, of Potland Hall Farm, Longhirst, near Morpeth, Northumberland, admitted assaulting the 33-year-old brunette in March this year, and was given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Miss Sassetti's parents yesterday condemned the sentence as being too lenient and rubbished suggestions that their daughter had flirted with Mr Gair.

Trouble flared after the two women returned to Mr Gair's Bowes Manor Equestrian Centre, in Birtley, near Gates-head, after Miss Sassetti had been modelling in a charity fashion show organised by Tate.

The 33-year-old was friends with Tate for more than a year and often modelled in fashion shows she organised.

Visibly shaken, Miss Sassetti said she was still too upset to talk, but her father hit out at Tate's vicious attack, in which his daughter was dragged to the ground, punched and scratched and finally kicked down a flight of stairs into a stableyard below.

She was later treated in hospital for cuts and scratches on her forehead, cheek, jaw and scalp.

Mr Sassetti, of Ulgham, also near Morpeth, said that their daughter was still taking anti-depressant tablets and needed counselling seven months after the incident.

He said: ''This idea that Gina had been flirting with him is just not right. It was an unprovoked attack."

He added: "I was shocked this woman got off so lightly for what she did to my daughter."