Sima Kotecha, 36, who is from Basingstoke, Hampshire, said that she had not heard the word used in the area since the 1980s

A BBC news presenter was left in 'utter shock' yesterday after suffering racist abuse in her home town when she was called a 'P***'.

Sima Kotecha, 36, who is from Basingstoke, Hampshire, said that she had not heard the word used in the area since the 1980s.

The incident comes after a 57 per cent rise in 'hate crimes' since the EU referendum result, which saw Britain decide to leave.

In particular, police have been investigating a number of attacks on Poles and Muslims.

Reports to a police online hate crime reporting site increased 57 per cent between Thursday and Sunday compared to the corresponding days four weeks ago, the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC) has said.

Prime Minister David Cameron condemned the attacks, branding them as 'despicable'.

Miss Kotecha, a reporter on BBC Radio 4's Today programme and a presenter on BBC One's 8pm news bulletin, received dozens of supportive messages from her followers on Twitter after posting a tweet about the abuse.

The abuse comes amid a background of 'hate crimes' being probed by police across the UK with an increase in reports of attacks on ethnic minorities in the wake of last week's Brexit vote.

She said shortly before 1.30pm yesterday: 'In utter shock: just been called p**i in my home town! Haven't heard that word here since the 80s!'

Miss Kotecha began her BBC career with Radio Berkshire, before moving to the corporation's New York bureau and working for Radio 1's Newsbeat from 2006 to 2011

Miss Kotecha later added: 'Wow, really touched by the outpouring of support – thank you. Your messages make me so proud to be British.'

Basingstoke MP Maria Miller said: ‘Along with the vast majority of Basingstoke residents I was appalled to hear of the racist abuse suffered by BBC presenter Sima Kotecha in Basingstoke.

‘I have spoken to Sima to discuss the incident and to categorically condemn it. Racial abuse is a crime and the police have to act. But as a community we also need to send a clear message as well.

‘Racism has no place in our community, we will not tolerate it and to hear of such abuse is sickening. Every one of us has a duty to challenge racism wherever it happens.’

And Paula Sherriff, Labour MP for Dewsbury, said: 'Absolutely shocking. Heard of a number of similar incidents near me. I am truly so sorry, Sima Kotecha - will do what I can.'

Adil Ray, the creator of BBC sitcom Citizen Khan, added: 'Disgusting. Hope you're OK, Sima. Head up high and go and do what you do best on my radio.'

Miss Kotecha, who studied at the University of Surrey in Guildford and Goldsmiths College in London, previously worked as a parliamentary aide in Canada and as an English teacher.

She began her BBC career with Radio Berkshire, before moving to the corporation's New York bureau and working for Radio 1's Newsbeat from 2006 to 2011.

Miss Kotecha also spent two years on the PM and the World at One on Radio 4, and has reported from countries including Afghanistan, Haiti and Lebanon.

The NPCC confirmed that there has been an increase in reports to True Vision, a police online hate crime reporting site.

The figures only take into account the 85 reports made through one mechanism, and this should not be read as a national increase in hate crime of 57 per cent.

Giving a statement at his first Commons appearance since the referendum and his subsequent resignation announcement, Mr Cameron said: 'We have a fundamental responsibility to bring our country together.

'In the past few days we have seen despicable graffiti daubed on a Polish community centre, we've seen verbal abuse hurled against individuals because they are members of ethnic minorities.

'Let's remember these people have come here and made a wonderful contribution to our country.

'We will not stand for hate crime or these kinds of attacks, they must be stamped out.'

Assistant Chief Constable Mark Hamilton, national lead for hate crime, said: 'Police forces are working closely with their communities to maintain unity and tolerance and prevent any hate crime or abuse following the EU referendum.

'At the national level, the vast majority of people are continuing to go about their lives in safety and security and there have been no major spikes in tensions reported.

'However, we are seeing an increase in reports of hate crime incidents to True Vision, the police online hate crime reporting site.

'This is similar to the trends following other major national or international events. In previous instances, crime levels returned to normal relatively quickly but we are monitoring the situation closely.'

He added: 'All forms of hate crime are unacceptable in any circumstances. Hatred not only has the potential to cause serious physical and emotional harm, it damages communities and undermines the diversity and tolerance we should be instead celebrating.

'Police forces will respond robustly to any incidents and offenders can expect to receive enhanced sentencing.

'Everyone has a right to feel safe and confident about who they are. Being yourself is not a crime: hate crime is.'

Meanwhile, Two Polish men were beaten to a pulp in Upton Park, east London, at the weekend.

A man, named Carlos, tweeted about the incident as he came across it.

He also posted pictures of the men - a father and son - lying unconscious on the ground, their bloody faces as they got up and paramedics treating them at the scene.

In a series of tweets, he said: 'Walking home, see these men laid out on the floor, thought they were drunk, took a photo, turns out they've been battered senseless by 'English man, English man'. They're Polish.'

'A son and his dad, dad's unconscious. Blood everywhere.'

'Father has a broken arm, and possible neck trauma, son has severe facial fractures, broken jaw and nose. my god.

'This referendum, this division, this racism, this bigotry, this disgrace. had enough of it.'

Two Polish men were beaten to a pulp in Upton, east London, at the weekend. A man, named Carlos, tweeted about the incident as he came across it

Carlos also posted pictures of the men - a father and son - lying unconscious on the ground, their bloody faces as they got up and paramedics treating them at the scene.

Carlos put the men in a recovery position and waited for the emergency services to arrive. He said paramedics told him that the men had been lying there for over an hour.

The two men, aged 30 and 54, were treated in hospital. The father has been discharged and the son is in a stable condition.

Police are investigating Saturday's incident as an assault and stressed that the attack is not being treated as a hate crime.

A Polish community centre was vandalised in a suspected racist attack which some have also linked to the vote to quit the EU.

Workers at the Polish Social and Cultural Association in Hammersmith, west London, found graffiti across the building's front doors saying 'F*** off.'

Police have now launched an investigation into the incident, which they are treating as a 'racially motivated crime'.

Another incident saw Polish immigrants in Huntingdon, near Cambridge, delivered cards reading, 'Leave the EU - no more Polish vermin'.

The UK's Polish Embassy released a statement following the incidents.

It read: 'We are shocked and deeply concerned by the recent incidents of xenophobic abuse directed against the Polish community and other UK residents of migrant heritage.

'The Polish Embassy is in contact with relevant institutions, and local police and already investigating the two most widely reported cases in Hammersmith, London, and Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire.'

'We call on all Polish nationals who fall victim of xenophobic abuse and non all witnesses to report such incidents to local authorities.'

Horror: These messages were delivered to Polish families in the Cambridge area yesterday

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan asked Scotland Yard to be 'extra vigilant' after a flurry of incidents were reported in the capital and around Britain.

Mr Khan said: 'I take seriously my responsibility to defend London's fantastic mix of diversity and tolerance.

'So it's really important we stand guard against any rise in hate crimes or abuse by those who might use last week's referendum as cover to seek to divide us.

'I've asked our police to be extra vigilant for any rise in cases of hate crime, and I'm calling on all Londoners to pull together and rally behind this great city.'

Addressing hate crimes will be a priority for the Metropolitan Police, he said, adding: 'We will have a zero-tolerance approach to any attempt to hurt and divide our communities.

'It's also crucial that we don't demonise the 1.5 million people in London who voted for Brexit.

'While I and millions of others disagreed with their decision, they took it for a variety of reasons and this shouldn't be used to accuse them of being xenophobic or racist. We must respect their decision and work together now to get the best deal for London.'

David Cameron spoke out against the 'hate crimes' against immigrants since the result of the EU referendum

Vandalism: Graffiti reading 'F*** off OPM' appeared on the outside of the Polish Social and Cultural Association in Hammersmith, West London this morning

Islamophobia has also been more apparent, according to the Muslim Council for Britain (MCB), who have collated more than 100 reports of 'hate crimes' against the religion since the shock result.

Two men were arrested in Birmingham after a protest outside a mosque on Saturday, where police confiscated a banner with the slogan 'rapefugees not welcome'.

Heaven Crawley also wrote on Twitter: 'This evening my daughter left work in Birmingham and saw group of lads corner a Muslim girl shouting 'Get out, we voted leave'. Awful times'

A spokesman for the MCB said: 'There have been countless incidents reported including a Polish centre being daubed with racist graffiti, a racist demonstration outside a mosque in Birmingham, and many reports of Muslims and others being taunted with 'go back home!' or similar sentiments.'

Calling for action, Dr. Shuja Shafi, the Secretary General of the MCB, said: 'As the results of the referendum became known, I called for our politicians to come together and heal the divisions that have emerged as a result of the campaign.

'Now we are witnessing the shocking extent of this with reports around the country of hate speech and minorities being targeted.

'We need leadership now more than ever before. Our country is experiencing a political crisis which, I fear threatens the social peace.

'Whatever differences we may have, it is vitally important that we demonstrate solidarity for those attacked, and state, in the words of the murdered MP Jo Cox, that 'We have far more in common than which divides us'.'

Sky News presenter Adam Boulton wrote: 'This weekend I and my family have witnessed 3 'when are you going home?' Racist incidents aimed at EU citizens here.'

Many people took to social media to report various incidents they had witnessed or heard about using the hashtag '#PostRefRacism'.

Sam Valiant tweeted: 'Today a group of men called me a 'P**i C**t' and told me to go home. In London. Where I was born, raised and lived for 32yrs.'

Sky News presenter Adam Boulton wrote: 'This weekend I and my family have witnessed 3 'when are you going home?' Racist incidents aimed at EU citizens here.'

In Barnsley, Channel 4 News reporter Ciaran Jenkins said: 'Been standing here five minutes. Three different people have shouted 'send them home'.'

James Titcombe tweeted: 'Daughter tells me someone wrote '[Child's name] go back to Romania' on the wall in the girls toilets at School today.'

And in London, Jamie Pohotsky reported: 'Table next to me says to Polish waitress 'How come you're so cheerful? You're going home.' Him and the missus started laughing.' Disgusting.'

Kamaljeet Jandu, GMB National Equality Officer, said 'Following the Brexit vote last week, we have seen a rise in reports of racist incidents from Hammersmith to Birmingham to Barnsley. This behaviour is outrageous, out of order and entirely unacceptable.

GMB condemns these actions of hatred and offers our pledge to support GMB members and people of all ethnicities in the UK. Those that let the genie of xenophobia and racism out of the bottle have a lot to answer for.'

A statement from Stand Up To Racism read: 'The most dangerous outcome of the EU referendum debate is the unleashing of the most heinous manifestations of racism and far right nationalism.

'This toxic discussion on immigration has turned the clock back on race relations in Britain and cost a Labour MP her life.'

Brexit campaign standard-bearer Boris Johnson said that there was 'no way' that EU nationals currently in the UK would lose their right to live and work here because of the referendum result.

'As I said repeatedly during the campaign I'm pro immigration, but I'm pro control of immigration,' said Mr Johnson - tipped as the likely successor to Mr Cameron as Prime Minister.

'We must have a policy that is fair and balanced between the EU and the rest of the world, allowing us to address the skills needed to support our economy, regardless of where you come from.'

Mr Johnson said he was 'appalled' by reports of increased in crimes of racism and xenophobia over the weekend

Mr Johnson said he was 'appalled' by reports of increased in crimes of racism and xenophobia over the weekend.

'Hate crime of any kind is inexcusable and must be met with the full force of the law,' he said. 'Britain is an open, tolerant and friendly society that welcomes people from across the globe.