RETRACING the steps she took on the night she became the victim of an alleged rape proved too much for a 14-year-old schoolgirl.

She was able to point out the places she remembered along the route to police officers but could hardly bare to look herself.

Waking up in distress in the night has become a regular occur-rence and being on her own in the dark has got so bad she asks to sleep in the same room as her younger brother.

The girl's mum says the family is going through hell.

Police have re-launched an appeal for information on the attack, which happened in Alfred Street, near the Hazrat Shahjal Al Mosque.

The teenager was attacked after enjoying an under-18s night at the Studio nightclub in Old Town.

On Friday she took police to the scene of the crime and her mum says it was a harrowing deal for all involved.

"We had to re-walk the route and that was really hard for both of us," said the mother, who cannot be named for legal reasons.

"She has been upset enough and she could hardly bring herself to do it.

"She pointed for the officers but she didn't want to look herself."

The girl has barely left the house since the attack and has only now started walking to a shop near her home.

"She won't go anywhere on her own, it's really sad," her mum said.

"She's been asking her little brother if she can stay in his room she's so scared.

"She is all right when her friend is around but when she's not around she's in a daze. She's not with it and she keeps waking up in the night."

After the incident, which happened between 10pm on Friday, April 29, and 1am the next day, a number of letters were sent to the Adver criticising the victim's parents for allowing her out so late.

But her mum hit back, insisting the public were jumping to conclusions without knowing all the facts.

"If it wasn't my daughter I would say the same," she said.

"But she was left in the charge of an adult and I didn't expect her to be left to go wherever.

"People were mentioning social services. We are already going through a difficult time and it's hard enough.

"I don't think I could be any stricter with my children. On a school night she has got to be in at 8pm and she only goes to Studio once a month.

"People are judging but they don't know the circumstances.

"If I'd have looked at it I would have thought, Oh my God what was she doing out there?' but we thought she was at a friend's house."

And the girl's mum says it is not just the 14-year-old who is struggling to cope.

"It's been very hard for the whole family and it's affecting us all. Her dad has taken it the worst, it's been hell.

"You don't think it could happen to your children but everyone suffers."

Police are keen to speak to an elderly Asian woman, who was wearing a long coat, dark headscarf and carrying blue plastic shopping bags in both hands.

She was seen walking in the area of Alfred Street on the evening of the attack.

Anyone with information should call Acting Det Sgt Nick Mawson, of Swindon CID, on 0845 408 7000, or Crimestoppers, anonymously on 0800 555 111.