Two girls have been arrested after distressing footage emerged of a 12-year-old schoolgirl being punched and stamped on in a vicious attack filmed on a mobile phone.

The video - which has been circulated widely on social media - shows the crying victim being grabbed by her hair and struck four times in the face before a knee to her head knocks her to the ground.

Two teenagers from Margate - aged 13 and 14 - have been arrested on suspicion of assault and remain in police custody.

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In the 33-second clip, the victim begs for the beating to stop, but her attacker punches her another four times in the face as she holds her head up by her hair.

As she cries out and lays on the pavement, the thug kicks her twice more in the face and then stamps on her head before the clip ends.

It was filmed in Arlington Gardens, Margate, at 3.30pm yesterday. KentOnline has decided not to show the footage as it is too distressing.

A girl is heard to shout "bang her" before the assault starts.

The victim - a pupil at Charles Dickens School in Broadstairs - was taken to hospital for treatment for head injuries.

Her devastated mum, Amanda Morris, posted on Facebook to say watching the video had left her sick to her stomach.

"As you all are aware there is a video on social media of a fight on an innocent little girl who begged for it not to happen," she wrote.

"I'm absolutely devastated and sick to my stomach. My little girl is now home with her loved ones. I hope justice will be done..." the victim's mum

"Well, that girl was my daughter; my baby, in fact and just got back from the hospital as she has some head injuries.

"To find a video of this all over social media is disgusting and the girls that stood and filmed and done nothing are just as bad as the girl that done the assault.

"I'm absolutely devastated and sick to my stomach. My little girl is now home with her loved ones. I hope justice will be done."

Kirstin Cardus, executive head teacher at The Charles Dickens School, says the safety of its pupils is paramount,

"The school is aware of the very serious incident yesterday after school, where one of our Year 8 female students was physically attacked and violently assaulted whilst walking home in school uniform," she said.

"Whilst the attack did not happen near the school we are still very concerned that one of our students was attacked on their way travelling home. The student was attacked by a former student of the school.

"The Charles Dickens School does not tolerate any form of physical violence. We are shocked by what we have seen. Our thoughts are with our own student and her family at this very difficult time.

"We can reassure you that we will do everything in our power to protect the safety of all our pupils as this is of paramount importance to us as a caring and supportive school community.

"We would like to reiterate to parents that the young person who assaulted our student does not attend The Charles Dickens School."

A GoFundMe page has been set up to raise money for the victim, and hundreds of pounds has already been donated.

A similar fundraising page for a schoolboy filmed being attacked in Huddersfield this week has received donations of almost £150,000.