An Andover woman has appealed for witnesses to come forward after an alleged spitting incident outside a school.

A woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, was dropping off her son at Anton School on the morning of February 11 when she claims a runner spat at her and her son.

“She actually spat in my face,” the woman told the Advertiser, “and it went in my mouth and was dribbling down my face, it was that close to me.”

Police officers asked anyone with information to call them on 101, quoting the reference 44210051922.

The alleged incident occurred outside the gates of Anton School at around 8:30am on February 11, when the woman was dropping her seven-year-old son off at school when a runner ran up behind her.

She said: “I was on a public path where my kid was getting out, but because I couldn’t get out of her running way, she was screaming and shouting at me. She was giving me and my son verbal abuse, effing and blinding, and shouting ‘move out my effing way’.”

The runner then spat on the woman before running off, but subsequently returned.

“She came back again and gave me and my son more abuse,” she said. “She went: ‘I’ll show you’ and spat on me and my son at the same time.

“She actually spat in my face and it went in my mouth and was dribbling down my face, it was that close to me.”

The runner then ran off, and bystanders ran after her, but the runner disappeared. Despite the incident, the woman was able to take pictures of the runner, which she has sent to the police.

“Spitting is an assault,” she said, “and with what’s going on right now, the woman is absolutely stupid spitting in my and my son’s face considering the pandemic going on.”

The woman told the Advertiser she was concerned for her family, saying her other children in the car were “distraught” after the incident, while she and her son have booked a Covid test.

“I don’t what this woman was thinking,” she said. “She was absolutely crazy. I feared for me and son.”

The woman has appealed for witnesses to contact police regarding the incident to assist them with their investigation.

Under UK law, spitting on someone is classed as common assault, which is when an individual inflicts violence, or the threat of it, on another person, however slight this may be. A consultation last year by the Sentencing Council proposes that spitting should be considered as an aggravating factor for assaults, which could lead to higher sentences for those found guilty if approved.

A spokesperson for Hampshire Constabulary said: "We received reports of an assault at around 8.15am yesterday, 11 February, on Barlows Lane in Andover.

"The victim, and her son, were outside the school when they were assaulted by an unknown woman. The woman was verbally abusive and spat at the victim and her son.

"Anyone with information can phone 101 with the reference 44210051922."