Terrified Carol Symington is living in fear after becoming the target of a hate mob who believe she is Maxine Carr.

Mum-of-three Carol, 44, says she resembles Soham killer Ian Huntley's lover -and she has gone public to ask her neighbours to leave her alone.

Since moving to Redcar, Teesside, Carol says her life has been hell. She even allowed one man to search her house at midnight to prove she wasn't Carr.

Within hours of arrival, youngsters and adults started shouting abuse at her.

Crowds still regularly gather outside the house, and her car has been vandalised.

A Cleveland Police spokesman said: "We are doing all we can to help her."