A foreign-born charity worker says an online hate campaign led to a violent assault on her and an attempted arson attack at her food bank.

Maya Amangeldiyeva - who runs Maya's Community Support Centre and Maya's Free Shop in Herne Bay - has been left scared to walk the streets after a series of reported incidents in recent days.

She says what began as verbal abuse and online trolling culminated in her being pushed to the ground and kicked by a group of masked men.

Ms Amangeldiyeva - who is originally from Turkmenistan - says the trouble began when she was at the town’s seafront with her partner on Thursday, August 1.

“We were at our favourite bench on the seafront at about 10pm when a group of four people started abusing us because I’m from a Muslim country and because my partner, Andrew, has a muscle disease and can’t walk,” she said.

“They were calling him names. I hugged Andrew, and they were filming us and swearing, threatening us.”

A video of the incident then surfaced on Facebook, showing the couple in an innocent embrace as male voices could be heard teasing them.

Ms Amangeldiyeva says this led to an online hate campaign spearheaded by those falsely trying to claim the footage showed something inappropriate.

“It was non-stop - it was day and night,” recounted the charity worker.

“They were literally bombarding me on social media - the things they were saying were so disgusting I can't even repeat them.”

But in the days that followed, Ms Amangeldiyeva says the torment only got worse, as she suffered verbal abuse from passing cars outside the food bank on the high street and an attempted arson attack.

Ms Amangeldiyeva is well known in Herne Bay for her charity shop - Maya’s Free Shop - where everything from clothes to furniture and home goods can be purchased at zero cost.

She has participated in the town carnival and last year was named south-east regional fundraiser of the year at the Pride of Britain Awards.

On the morning of Monday, August 5, she says there was an attempted arson attack on the food bank.

“They threw a bottle with a rag and something inside through the letterbox - it started smoking on the carpet, but we were able to put it out,” she said.

Ms Amangeldiyeva says she later discovered one of the windows of the building’s front door had been smashed in an attempt, she believes, to access the property.

And that evening, as Ms Amangeldiyeva strolled along the seafront, she says three men wearing balaclavas came up behind her.

“I realised someone was following me - it was three of them standing behind me,” she said.

“Then they pushed me to the ground and two of them were crouching down telling me that the sea is right there and I had to take the boat.

“They were kicking me, pushing me and said: “You are dirty foreign immigrant, you're going to take the boat and if you're not going to take it, we're going to come and finish you off.’

Ms Amangeldiyeva says she was left with scrapes and bruises and attended QEQM Hospital in Margate to get checked over before making a report to police the next day.

Reflecting on the incidents, she said: “They invaded my privacy, they abused my body, they abused me mentally - and all this because I’m from a Muslim country?

“I’ve been in the UK for 15 years. I didn't come here on a boat, I have a British passport.

“When I didn't have money when all this cost of living started, I didn't claim benefits, I opened the food bank, I’ve been working all this time.

“Ninety percent of my charity’s users are English people and I love them.

“Now I can’t even walk on the street anymore because everyone knows where I work and live.”

Despite the trauma of the past week, Ms Amangeldiyeva is determined to continue her community work and says the support she has received from locals has been overwhelming.

“On Wednesday, all day I’ve been receiving flowers and cards, people were coming and showing solidarity saying: ‘I know this is happening in our town but we're not part of it’ - they were crying with me.

“The wounds will heal but what hurts more is the damage they’ve done emotionally and mentally - I’m strong enough to stand up today but I am scared.

“If something happens to me what is going to happen to my kids, my mother? I’m not going to stop what I do.”

A police spokesperson said: “Kent Police is investigating a report of a public order incident in which two people received verbal abuse and were filmed by four men while they were sitting on Herne Bay seafront at around 10pm on Thursday, August 1.

“The abuse was reported as hate-related. The incident was reported to Kent Police on Tuesday, August 6, and one of the victims also made officers aware of other incidents said to have occurred to her since Thursday, including harassment in person and online, damage to a window, and an assault during the evening of Monday, August 5, on Herne Bay seafront in which the victim was pushed and kicked.

“Neighbourhood officers have spoken to the victims to gather evidence and provide safety advice, as well as reassurance. Enquiries into the reports are ongoing, including a review of any available CCTV and doorbell footage.

“Anyone with any information which could assist, should call Kent Police on 01843 222289 quoting 46/131664/24.”

Ms Amangeldiyeva says she reported the suspected arson attack yesterday afternoon.