20 year-old student Ashleigh Moodley who is of an Indian descent, was racially abused after stroking a woman’s dog.

Ashleigh  was walking to the doctor’s surgery on St George’s Road when two ladies in their mid-40s came towards her with their dog.

Ashleigh went to stroke the dog, smiling, though was greeted with racist remarks. “That’s why I voted for Brexit, to get rid of people like her.”

Ashleigh said “I didn’t do anything to provoke such a harsh response  […] I think that racism was quite underlined until Brexit happened’

“I felt disappointed. I didn’t expect that at all, especially from two older women.”

“In a way I am glad that this has happened to me, purely because now we can take some action against people who are being racist and discriminatory. I don’t know if, when she said the comment, the lady thought I wouldn’t understand her, but one thing that was on my mind was: don’t underestimate me or belittle me because I’m different to you.”

Ashleigh says it’s not the first time she has experienced racial abuse. Last year the following comment was made to her “go back to your country you f*****g c**t’.”

Reports to police increased by 42%, to more than 3,000 allegations of hate crime across Britain in the week before and the week after the 23 June vote.