A teenage girl was spat at, verbally assaulted and threatened in a homophobic attack in Plymouth, England.

Police are now urging a man and woman who were believed to be involved in the incident to come forward in the hopes it will aid their investigation, it was announced today (24 January).

The 18-year-old student and two 16-year-old friends were smoking a cigarette shortly after eating at McDonalds on 10 January.

Detective Constable Rose said the teenagers were minding their own business when a man began swearing and shouting at them from inside the fast food restaurant.

She said: ‘At first they weren’t sure what he wanted, but eventually they realized he was gesticulating for them go away, swearing at them to leave.’

One of the teenagers said the man came out, ‘strode over aggressively’, and said he had no problem hitting a girl’ before he spat at her in the face.

Speaking to The Herald, the 18-year-old said as a result of being spat at she had been advised to make an appointment with her doctor.

‘We must’ve briefly caught his gaze and he misinterpreted it as something else,’ she said.

‘I just don’t like that it is meant to be a safe place in town to sit and that this can happen to anyone. My friends are only 16 and they shouldn’t have to face that.’

If you can assist police in identifying either the man or the woman shown, contact police on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.