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A teenage girl who thought she was going to die when she was strangled with her hijab is furious her alleged attacker has been let out with a caution.

Earlier this week shocking footage emerged of a woman allegedly attacking a schoolgirl on a bus in Sheffield before pinning her to the floor, punching her in the head and using teenager's own headscarf to garrote her.

Police officers arrived at the scene and arrested a 40-year-old woman and a 44-year-old man on suspicion of racially aggravated assault and public order offences.

A day later Rashida Ali, the mother of two of the girls caught up in the incident, was texted by a neighbourhood support officer explaining that the woman had been let off with a caution because "this was her first offence".

Redena Al-Hadi, 14, and her sister Wida, 13, are both furious that their alleged attacker has been allowed to walk free while also feeling terrified that they could come face-to-face with her again.

(Image: supplied)

"It makes me feel sick and scared," Redena told MirrorOnline.

"I don't want to go to school. How can an adult attack a child for wearing a hijab?

"I was a young girl trying to go home. It makes me feel so targetted. That is who I am.

"When she was strangling me I thought I was going to die.

"She shouldn't be on the streets. She could do this to another Muslim. I am now too scared to leave my house."

Redena explained how the confrontation began when she, her sister and their female friend were heading home on the no.88 bus from Silverdale School at around 4.30pm on December 4.

(Image: supplied)

A man began "screaming" at the sisters' friend and called her the n-word, Redena claims, after a different man had mimicked the girls' voices before leaving the bus.

In response to the alleged racial slur a young boy stood up and told the man to stop harassing the girl, which prompted a woman to push and punch him.

Redena said: "I stood up and said 'don't do that he's a child.'

"I then tried to get all the girls off the bus but the woman came up to my face and started saying my hijab was making her sick.

"I felt really hurt. She pulled my head down and she dragged me off the bus."

(Image: supplied)

According to Redena the woman strangled her with her hijab and punched her in the eye.

She was knocked unconscious for about 30 seconds in the attack after her head hit the floor, she claims.

Redena has been left with a heavily bruised face, a cheek doctors told her may be fractured and an eye blurry and pooled with blood.

Wipa has bruising on the inside of her leg and has been left severely rattled by the incident.

Their friend is physically unharmed but "traumatised" by the incident, Redena said.

Just over 24 hours after Sheffield Police officers made two arrests at the scene of the alleged racial assault, Mrs Ali received a text from a neighbourhood support officer.

(Image: supplied)

Part of it read: "The lady who assaulted you admitted what she had done and has been given a police caution as this was her first offence.

"This mean she admits being guilty and if she gets in trouble again is likely to be sent to court.

"The male is still in custody and will likely get sent to court for process."

The decision to release the woman has left the family shocked.

Arshaid Bashir, a solicitor representing them, said: "No right minded person, having considered the facts properly, would have dealt with it in this way.

(Image: News Dog Media)

"This is an assault on a child where derogatory language has been used.

"It is a racially aggravated assault. There was serious harm to a child who was attacked due to her appearance.

"The CPS ought to have been consulted prior to any decision being made. Public duty requires the perpetrator to be prosecuted."

(Image: News Dog Media)

A spokesperson for South Yorkshire Police said: "Our inquiry into reports of racial abuse in the Ecclesall Road area of Sheffield on Wednesday 4 December is continuing.

"The investigation is also currently undergoing a full review. This will include revisiting and speaking to witnesses.

"Officers remain in contact with the victim and her family and are keeping them updated.

"A 40-year-old woman, arrested at the scene, has been given a caution for assault, while a 44-year-old man remains on police bail as enquiries continue.

"Anyone with information, or who holds footage of the incident, is asked to call 101 or email enquiries@southyorks.pnn.police.uk quoting incident number 601 of 4 December 2019."