The traumatised victim of a vicious assault has paid tribute to the heroine hairdresser who stepped in to save her and her son from their attacker.

Single mum Ms Begum, who was too fearful of repercussions to give out her first name, said the man would have continued attacking her and her six-year-old son if hairdresser Lisa Dean had not chased him away – as we reported last week.

“I don’t know how much that would have damaged me or my son”, said the 29-year-old.

“If that woman didn’t come in he would have continued hitting me – there’s no way he would have moved”, she added.

Lisa, 41, leapt into action after the man launched the vicious assault at a cash point outside John Lester Hair Design in Globe Road, Stepney Green, last Friday after accusing the woman of queue jumping.

Police arrested a 33-year-old man, who has since been bailed until March.