A tourist attraction has been forced to close for the Easter holidays after one of its staff was attacked and threatened by young louts.
Sophie Inskip, 19, was followed home and spat on after finishing work at the Eco- house, in Leicester's Western Park, on Sunday.
Five youths confronted her at about 5pm, harassing and threatening her.
As she walked home through the park, they followed her, jostling her and spitting in her face.
Following the incident, bosses at environmental charity Groundwork, which runs the Eco-house, decided not to open on Monday or yesterday for fear of further attacks on staff. It is normally open seven days a week.
Manager Richard Wakefield said: "The sort of behaviour that Sophie had to put up with is completely unacceptable.
"Unfortunately, we have become used to being on the wrong end of bad behaviour at the hands of kids, but this went beyond being cheeky or rude to be outright menacing.
"To spit on someone and jostle them is, frankly, disgusting."
He said the attraction would remain closed until next week, and managers are to discuss staff security with police.
Miss Inskip told the Mercury that Sunday's incident left her frightened and tearful.
She said: "I tried to ignore them but they followed me as I walked home. I have a star tattoo one my arm. One of them asked 'Why do you have that? Is it because you will be seeing stars when I hit you?'
"I felt really frightened. I didn't want to cry in front of them, but I did when I got home. I love working here (at the Eco-house) but you don't need this kind of thing happening to you."
The Eco-house opened in 1989 as Britain's first environmentally-friendly show home. Today, it has a shop and cafe and is visited by about 4,000 people a year who want to learn about the environment.
Mr Wakefield said the day before Sophie was attacked, youths had been in the shop stealing food and causing trouble.
He said: "I would not want to be the person who sticks the blame on all kids. Some of the young people we get visiting are lovely and just want to learn about the place, but I've found myself making excuses for the others – 'it must be boredom', or 'they don't know any better' – which I said I would not do.
"Now it has gone too far. We are just a charity and the Eco-house is here to be enjoyed by the community. It is a shame the actions of a few spoil that for everyone, and it does not help us being closed because we lose income."
Sergeant Simon Barnes, of Hinckley Road police station, said officers were looking to speak to two suspects, aged 11 and 12.
He said he would make sure officers patrolled the area as often as possible during the rest of the Easter break.
He said: "The Eco-house is there for everybody to enjoy, so we do not want this. It is close to a BMX track where kids gather, and the problems flood across into the Eco-house.
"I'd like anyone who witnesses problems to contact us and I would like parents to give some thought to the way their children behave."
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