MEMBERS of a family who have been regularly tormented by young thugs had their Christmas Day ruined when they were threatened with a nail-studded wooden club.

Ron Carter-Bonsteel, 47, from Thorntree, Middlesbrough, said the intimidating incident left his family frightened to go out.

The family has suffered a torrent of abuse since moving to Thorntree in 2001.

Mr Carter-Bonsteel said there had been a number of attacks on his car, with paint stripper thrown over the bodywork, causing up to £4,000 worth of damage.

The latest incident happened at about 7pm on Sunday, when a gang walked past the family home.

He said one of the young people stepped onto the family's front drive and started pelting their car and house with eggs.

His daughter, Donna, 24, and a family friend, went out to challenge the egg-thrower, who then started shouting racial abuse.

Mr Carter-Bonsteel said: "When we went out, he started to verbally threaten our daughter, and then he started using threatening behaviour.

"He went, and came back with a large piece of wood with nails in it and shouted: 'Come on'.

"We were very lucky he did not use the piece of wood with the nails in it."

Cleveland Police said a 20-year-old has been charged with a racially aggravated public order offence.