A nurse has told of how she stood up to thugs who punched her and shouted abuse as she cycled through north Oxford.

The 32-year-old victim from Islip was pedalling along Banbury Road when a passenger in a passing car punched her and she almost fell from her bike.

The woman spoke out because she fears another cyclist could be badly hurt if the yobs struck again.

She said: "I was cycling home after work and a white car passed me and the passenger punched me in the ribs.

"Another car, a blue Peugeot hatchback, had three young lads in it, and one of them hung out of the car window, laughing and jeering at me.

"The two cars looked like they were together and one of them stopped at the traffic lights, and they were just calling me slag and whore.

"I carried on cycling home and eventually got onto the cycle path at the top of Banbury Road.

"I could hear them saying 'look, there she is again' and they slowed down to shout and jeer at me.

"I said 'pull over if you really want to have a go.' "Both cars were together and one of them pulled in to the bus lane and they wound all the windows up.

"I didn't know what I was going to do, I was just incredibly angry and wanting to challenge them.

"I told them I had their registration number and would call the police."

The nurse, who lives in Islip, said the punch wasn't strong enough to push her off balance.

She said: "I don't think these lads meant to be seriously dangerous. I just think they are seriously stupid.

"They need education. I think if they had pushed me off my bike and given me a head injury they would have been really sorry.

"If it had been an old person or someone younger or less savvy, they could have been really threatened by this."

It happened on Monday at 9.50pm and the man who threw the punch was white, in his early 20s with blond hair.

The man in the blue Peugeot is described as white, in his early 20s with mousey brown hair and stockily built.

Anyone with information can contact police 08458 505505 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.