A young gay woman has told how two young thugs taunted her about her sexuality before punching her unconscious.
Kerry Byrnes was struck repeatedly in the head before she lost consciousness.
Seconds before the assault, near Oakham town centre last weekend, the two young men said they knew she was a lesbian.
Kerry, 23, is recovering at her home in the town and is being comforted by friends.
She said: "I just want these lads to be caught before they do this or something worse to someone else.
"They were just two lads walking behind me. I didn't think anything of it because this is Oakham and nothing ever happens here.
"But then they said they knew I was a lesbian and that I worked at Tesco.
"They just started hitting me in the head and I lost consciousness.
"I don't know how long I was out for, it must have been about 15 minutes.
"It's all a bit of a blur, so I don't remember very much about it.
"I know I went home and my housemate looked at me called the police straight away.
"I had to go to hospital and the doctors have told me there might be a slight fracture in my cheek.
"I'm not feeling particularly great at the moment, but my friends are with me and they are doing their best to make me feel better."
Kerry, who moved to Oakham from Leicester seven years ago and now works in the town's Tesco store, has published a photograph of her injuries on Twitter and Facebook.
The image and her appeal for help tracing the men has been shared widely.
A police appeal for help tracing the men appeared in the Leicester Mercury today.
Officers said Kerry was walking home when she was attacked in Burley Road at 1.30am last Sunday.
Pc Mark Barlow, of Rutland police, said: "This was a nasty assault which resulted in the victim receiving hospital treatment and she has been left badly shaken up.
"If you were in Oakham on Saturday night or the early hours of Sunday morning and you saw these men, or you think you know who they are, please contact us."
The men are white, in their 20's and approximately 5ft 7ins. One was wearing a hooded top and the other had spiky blonde hair.
Contact Pc Barlow on 101 or Crimestoppers, which is on 0800 555 111.
