Four teenage boys have been arrested after a disabled woman was pelted with eggs and flour and a celebratory photo of the attack was posted online.

In the picture, yobs are seen smiling as they pose behind the woman, who is cowering on a park bench.

The image sparked outrage when it was posted on social media, allegedly by one of the gang.

People living in the area claim the youths in the photo are part of a group who have been terrorising an estate in the Suffolk market town of Bury St Edmunds for weeks.

It is understood the victim is in her 40s and suffers from severe mental health problems.

A disturbing photo on social media appears to show the teenagers posing behind a cowering woman who had been covered in flour and eggs as she sat on a park bench

The bench in Bury St Edmunds where the vulnerable woman was attacked remains covered in flour today

One witness said she had a ‘breakdown’ at the park and shouted at the youths, and they retaliated by throwing eggs and flour at her. Suffolk police said she was left severely distressed but was not physically harmed during the incident at 5.30pm on Friday.

Four boys – two aged 17 and two aged 15 – have been arrested and bailed pending further inquiries, police said.

Inspector Anthony Bridgland said: ‘This type of behaviour is totally unacceptable and we are treating the matter seriously.

‘We know this incident may have caused concern and anger both in the local community and online, but we would like to reassure everyone that we are tackling the matter robustly and supporting the victim.’

A local resident, who lives and works in the area, claimed: ‘Groups of kids congregate in packs and hang around the parks and the shops.

‘The truth is that there is nothing for these kids to do out here so they cause trouble.

‘There are some boys who often gather in the park behind and people avoid them at all costs because you know it will lead to trouble.’

One elderly resident, who did not want to be named, said she avoided the park because the young people who met there to take drugs were intimidating. She added: ‘I avoid that at certain times because they gather there at 5pm and do drugs and drink alcohol.

Social media star Robin Armstrong told his 750,000 followers he wanted to 'lead the way' in finding the youths

Mr Armstrong said: 'You little f***ing nothings have been over to an old woman with disabilities, poured water all over her head and then poured flour all over and stopped for a photograph'

‘I have very bad eyes and I would not know if they suddenly jumped out. I am not sure if my guide dog would protect me either. The real reason I carry this cane is for protection, in case one of them does something.’

One woman, whose house is close to the bench in the Howard estate, said: ‘All I know is that they are local and I have seen them out on the field many times and I have seen them many times sitting on the benches.

‘I was absolutely disgusted to hear about what they did to that poor lady. I came out shortly after it happened and I saw two police officers standing there and all the white over the bench and floor and wondered what on earth was going on.

‘My daughter phoned me up to ask if I was okay and if I had seen what was happening, and I was horrified when she told me.

‘How would they feel if it was their mother, grandmother or sister? It is disgraceful, it really is.

‘It makes you wonder what the world is coming to and worry how your grandchildren are going to grow up and what they are going to face. These boys need to be named and shamed. They thought it was quite brave to put a selfie up online and I hope they get what is coming to them.’

Katherine Brame, a friend of the victim, said she had been to check on her and she was ‘safe’.

She said people in the area had offered to help and send gifts, but the victim was struggling to cope. Miss Brame said on Facebook: ‘I have to speak out. Today’s incident has made me so sad and devastated. The lady in question needs her privacy and suffers with an unseen illness.

‘She cannot cope with people popping in, or gifts. It’s complicated but if you want to help, how about donating to a mental health charity as people with these unseen illnesses go under the radar all the time and they are totally under-funded. Then maybe she will get the real help she needs from qualified people. You’re all very kind.’

The boys cannot be identified because of their age but five names – including the boy who took the photo – have been widely shared online, sparking fears of vigilante action against them.

The social media posts prompted one man, who shares the same name as one of the alleged attackers, to call for people to stop threatening him.

He said on Facebook: ‘There’s a photo doing the rounds at moment of a group of young boys. They’ve been named and shamed and one of them happens to also be called [deleted]. I would just like to clarify I’m not that [deleted]. I’m much older than the boys in the photo and now that’s cleared up, I would appreciate it if people stopped messaging me and threatening me about this.’

The father of one of the boys named slammed the door when approached on Sunday.

Social media star Robin Armstrong told his 750,000 followers he wanted to 'lead the way' in finding the youths.

In a lengthy video, he said: 'You little f***ing nothings have been over to an old woman with disabilities, poured water all over her head and then poured flour all over and stopped for a photograph.

'That photographs says a thousand things - I don't even have to say any words.

At least one man said he had been threatened after being mistakenly identified as one of the arrested teenagers. Pictured: Screenshots of a conversation discussing the photo

Pictured: Screenshots of a conversation discussing the photo

'You scummy little w******. You deserve to have your heads ripped off your shoulders.

'I've got your names now so I'm going to put your names in the comments and your profiles in the comments.

'You're going to be chased out of your city - hunted down.'

Mr Armstrong said: 'Your mums and dads lives are f****** wrecked because of you.

'Posing for a photograph? The only photograph you are going to be posing for are the ones the police are going to have.

'Or the ones on the front of your tombstone because you deserve to be stoved in.'

Another man said on Twitter: 'These five sick f***** live in Bury St Edmunds and think it's funny to pour water over a old disabled woman's head then cover her in flour let's make these f*****s Twitter stars #scum [sic]'.