A couple were subjected to a homophobic attack by a woman who screamed abuse and attacked them with her shoe.
University lecturer Simon Jenkins and his partner Ben Drawer were targeted as they held hands when they met up after work.
The pair say the woman was with two young children when she muttered a cruel remark as they passed her in the street.
And when Simon, 33, challenged her, he said she lashed out, spouting homophobic abuse, calling them "disgusting", telling them to "burn in hell", and even encouraged one of the children to join in, Birmingham Live reports.
Police confirmed they are treating the incident as a hate crime.
The traumatised couple, who celebrate their three-year anniversary next week, said the unprovoked incident had left them worried to leave the house.
Simon said: "Everytime I leave home with my partner I feel like I'm going into battle," said Simon .
The couple tried to film the incident in the Selly Oak area of Birmingham on a mobile phone, but when the woman spotted them she 'slapped' the phone away and grabbed a plank of wood.
They ran from the scene, claiming no-one attempted to help or intervene.
Simon added: "Do we really have to live in a world where it's OK for people to make homophobic slurs?
"We both held hands as we walked out across the canal bridge.
"As we were walking I overheard a woman use a homophobic term towards us.
"I challenged her and asked her to repeat what she said, expecting her to deny it or just carry on walking and ignore us.
"Instead, she turned around and screamed at us - she told us we were disgusting and we were going to 'burn in hell'.
"She called us 'dirty b*******', shouted sexually explicit things at us and made more homophobic remarks.
"She shouted that 'some people think this is OK - but I don't' and threatened to 'knock us across the street'.
"She kept trying to pull my phone out of my hands and eventually smacked it out, then took off her shoe and hit us with it.
"When she picked up a wooden plank and looked as thought she was going to hit us with it, we ran.
"No one stopped to intervene or get involved in any way, despite the presence of numerous bystanders and people driving by.
"But the worst part of the incident was that she had two young girls with her - the eldest was aged around 10 and the youngest was around five or six.
"The older girl was even encouraged to join in with the homophobic abuse."
The woman is described as aged in her early 30s and black.
At the time of the incident she wore a black bandana, a blue shirt, cargo jacket and an Africa pendant.
"When we questioned what she initially said, I honestly thought she would deny it but her reaction was instead to explode with rage," Simon added.
"It has put us off going out holding hands.
"Everytime I leave home with my partner I feel like i'm going into battle."
Police confirmed officers were treating the incident as a hate crime and were following 'several lines of enquiry'.
