A DISTRAUGHT mother spoke out today over the "low-life scum" who deliberately pushed her severely-disabled daughter into a busy road - strapped inside her wheelchair.

Defenceless Lucy Branton, who has cerebral palsy and epilepsy, sat helpless as her specially-adapted chair overturned in the street.

The culprits walked away laughing, while their five-year-old victim, who cannot eat or sit up on her own or communicate properly, lay on the ground.

Lucy's mum Leeann Branton watched in horror as a teenage lout turned Lucy's wheelchair to face the busy residential road, which is used by hundreds of commuters, before pushing her three feet down a slope.

Mrs Branton, who was wrestled into a hedge by the same youth in an attempted bag snatch before Lucy was pushed, spoke for the first time about the ordeal, as she branded the attacker "low life scum".

The mother, 26, who was badly traumatised by the experience, said: "I don't think you can sink any lower - it's disgusting."

Police called the crime, which happened in Water Lane, Clifton, at 6.30pm on Monday, "sickening".

As reported in later editions of yesterday's Evening Press, Mrs Branton, pushing Lucy in her wheelchair, was approached by a gang of three before one made a grab for her bag.

The mother-of-three was pushed to the floor in a struggle before the ringleader shoved the wheelchair into the road, only shortly after rush hour.

It overturned, but luckily Mrs Branton was able to pull Lucy from the road before any cars came along.

Mrs Branton was bringing Lucy home from a pre-Brownie Rainbow group when the attacker pounced.

"I never heard anyone," she said. "Our car was being repaired so I thought I would walk back. It was only 6.30pm and I'm really careful so I put my handbag over my shoulder.

"Then someone grabbed me and tried to get the handbag strap. I fell backwards and they swung me into the hedge. I had to let go of my daughter's wheelchair."

But even in her worst nightmares, the loving mum could not have imagined what the youth would do next.

"Water Lane is quite sloped so she went flying down," said Mrs Branton, who hurt her back in the attack. "But they didn't even stop to watch or try and get my bag.

"I couldn't believe what was happening. These people are scum. It's disgusting what they did to her. Lucy couldn't even see what was happening. They gave her an almighty shove. It was certainly no accident."

Lucy, who goes to Hob Moor Oak School, was securely harnessed in the chair. But her face was covered in gravel after the fall, which left her shocked and badly shaken.

Her mum said she was just grateful a car did not run into her daughter.

"The chair tipped up and landed on its side. Fortunately her food tray sticks out at the front and that stopped her hitting her head.

"It took me three attempts to get her up. Then she started shrieking."

Lucy is back at school, but her mum said she hardly slept after her ordeal.

"On Monday night she kept blowing me kisses," added Clifton resident Mrs Branton, whose husband Leigh is "absolutely fuming" about their ordeal.

"She knew I was upset and is so caring."

Police urgently want to trace the gang, particularly the ringleader who pushed Lucy into the road.

Officers said he is about 16 years old, white, about 5ft 10in tall, with cropped hair and was thin. He had patchy ginger hair on his chin, and was wearing dark, shiny tracksuit bottoms with a grey stripe down each leg. He was also wearing a navy Rockport-style jumper.

The other members of the gang were a similar age. One had an "effeminate laugh".

A police spokesman said: "The sooner these people are caught the better."

Anyone with information should phone acting Detective Constable Lee Boyeson on 08456 060247.

Updated: 10:07 Wednesday, February 02, 2005