Three boys have been arrested after a transgender woman was violently attacked, police have said.

The victim received a deep leg wound, according to Cleveland Police, who are treating the incident as a hate crime.

Armed police were sent to the scene in Norton Road in Stockton, Teesside, on Tuesday evening and the victim, in her 20s, was taken to hospital for surgery.

Three boys – aged 12, 14, and 16 – have been arrested and are still in police custody, where they are being questioned by officers.

Assistant Chief Constable of Cleveland Police, Richard Baker said: “Nobody should ever have to fear being targeted for simply being who they are.

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“Physical violence against a person, or slurs made regarding a person’s gender identity, race, disability, or any other difference, is not acceptable and will not be tolerated in our communities.

“Cleveland Police takes all reports of hate crime and hate crime incidents extremely seriously, as we know the effects of this type of crime can be traumatic and long lasting.”

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Officers are appealing for witnesses, CCTV, doorbell and dashcam camera footage.

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