A COUPLE with learning disabilities were attacked by a gang of hooded teenagers having just built up the courage to go out together.

The youths, mocked them, threw food at them and hit one of them.

The victims, a 25-year-old woman and her 21-year-old boyfriend, were getting food at a branch of Subway shortly after 6pm yesterday when five teenage customers inside the shop started mocking them.

The couple left the fast food outlet in Carfax, Horsham, and went to the bus station in Worthing Road to catch a 6.50pm bus home.

However, the teenagers followed them and began throwing sweets at them while they waited for the bus.

One of the teenagers then approached the man, who also has physical disabilities, and started hitting him.

The attacker pushed the woman out of the way and grabbed the man by the throat.

The teenagers were all described as white and wearing grey or black hooded jumpers.

Sergeant Peter Allan said: “The victims had only just built up the confidence to go out together without another adult but this incident has really affected them.

“It appears that they were targeted because of their disabilities and are very upset about what happened.

“We urgently need to identify the men involved so they can be questioned.

“There was a man at the bus station using his mobile phone at the time and he may have seen some of the incident so we are keen for him to come forward.

“Targeting the vulnerable is totally unacceptable and we are determined to find those responsible for this cruel, nasty incident.”

Anyone with information should email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting serial 1327 of 25/11, call 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.