A new mum was attacked on her doorstep after telling yobs outside her home to be quiet.

Donna Cross had “reached the end of her tether” when she shouted at a group of youths outside her house in Southill Road, Chatham to shut up and go away.

One of the group then assaulted her, leaving Miss Cross with what is thought to be a knife wound in her chest.

Her boyfriend Jon Stone said: “It all happened so quickly, neither of us realised she had been stabbed at first.

“Then Donna felt the blood on her chest.

“I thought she was going to die. All I could think of was our baby daughter being left without her mum.”

Miss Cross, who gave birth eight weeks ago, was taken to Kings’ College Hospital in London where she had to undergo surgery.

She has since been discharged.

Following the attack, which happened at around 8.45pm on Tuesday, the youths ran off towards the White Road estate.

Police patrols searched the area and arrested one man, but he has been released without charge.

Mr Stone, 32, said: “It should be treated as attempted murder.

“The wound was in her breast bone, just above her heart. Donna lost a lot of blood, about two-and-a-half pints.”

The company director added: “There are always youths hanging about in the street, making noise. Donna had just reached the end of her tether.”

Mr Stone said it was a woman of about 18 who attacked Miss Stone. He describes her as white, with long brown hair.

She was slim built and wearing a tracksuit.

Another girl had fair hair and was wearing a tracksuit and the man was riding a push bike.

A spokesman for Kent Police said: “Kent Police was called at 8.45pm on Tuesday, March 15 to a report of an assault in Southill Road, Chatham. A woman was taken to a London hospital for treatment to her injuries.

“A 19-year-old man was arrested in connection with the incident and has since been released without charge.

“Enquiries are ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident.”