MUSLIMS celebrating Eid say they were left shocked and frightened after a mother was needed hospital treatment following an alleged racist attack in an Oxford park.

The woman, believed to be in her 30s, was knocked unconscious before racist remarks were allegedly made by white people to a group of the city’s Somalian community on Sunday afternoon.

The group, made up of about 30 women and children, were were marking the end of Ramadan in Florence Park with a picnic.

Many others across the city celebrated Eid, including 1,000 Muslims at Oxford Spires Academy, which Dr Hojjat Ramzy, director of the Oxford Islamic Information Centre, said was ‘wonderful’. 

But on hearing the news of the alleged attack Dr Ramzy urged communities to be ‘united’ against any type of racist or religious prejudice. 

Police officers and an ambulance attended the incident, where it was alleged a man deliberately kicked a ball at the woman’s face, before racist slurs were shouted.

Ismail Ali from Headington told the Oxford Mail he rushed to the park after getting a call from his younger brother to say the group had been attacked.

The 30-year-old Oxford Brookes University graduate said: “A lady was walking through the part on the grass area and heading towards a group from the Somalian community.

“She said she had been struck by something, then fell unconscious. She had two children with her.

“The lady was bruised on the left-hand side of her face around the cheek and eye. There was blood coming out of her nose.”

He added after the ambulance attended, a member of the group asked for an apology, which he claimed was met with abuse and slurs such as ‘go back to your country’.

But, today, the group alleged of making racist remarks denied such actions.

A member of the group, who did not want to be named, said it was a woman in his party who called the police to the scene in the first place, after another woman in their group had been punched in the face.

He did confirm the woman heading to the Eid celebrations was hit in the face with a football, but stressed it was 'complete accident', adding he and his family were enjoying a picnic in the park.

The man said the boys who kicked the ball apolgised to the woman and there was a 30-minute gap before the altercation took place.

Thames Valley Police said they were called to the park after reports of an ‘altercation between two groups of people’ in Cricket Road at 2.26pm on Sunday.

So far, no arrests have been made in connection with the incident.

Force spokeswoman Holly Claydon-Bevan added: “The incident is believed to have taken place after a football hit a woman who was in one of the groups.

"It is reported that racist language was then used. One person was taken to hospital and one person was treated at the scene. There were no serious injuries reported.

“Enquiries are ongoing to investigate the incident.”

Mr Ali said he was shocked by the incident and added it was ‘frightening’ in a city with a multi-cultural society.

Hassan Sabrie, chairman of the Somalian community in Oxford, said he was meeting with the families who witnessed the alleged attack.

He added: “It was only the children and the mothers there. We always meet in a park and people bring food and we eat all together.

“It’s really nasty. We did the same the year before and never had a problem. I have never seen this in Oxford."

The incident has also been reported to Tell Mama, an organisation which measures anti-Muslim attacks.

Anyone with information should call 101 and quote reference 942 of June 25.