Survival of the Fittest reality TV contestant targeted in 'transphobic attack' in Buckinghamshire

A model and reality TV star has told of her terror after she was chased by a thug armed with a metal pole in a suspected transphobic hate crime.

Transgender model Tia Latham, who last year appeared in ITV show Survival of the Fittest, said she was so scared she will need counselling after she was targeted.

CCTV shows a hooded man chase Ms Latham and her friend after they got out of her car late on Thursday night.

The pair managed to get inside, at which point a man produced a metal pole from his clothing and repeatedly bashed her car windows.

An accomplice also turned up and kicked the side of the car, leaving a dent, before smashing off the left wing mirror.

The attack happened at her friend’s house in Hazlemere, Buckinghamshire, and Ms Latham, from Finsbury Park, claimed the pair had been targeted.

The 29-year-old said: “My friend and I had gone to the shop to get some nibbles for a movie night. When we pulled up in the car, we got out and could see someone smoking at the side of one of the houses.

“We proceeded into the house and suddenly my friend urgently ushered me in. I heard someone shouting. We got through the door and ran upstairs. I was oblivious to what was happening.

“We saw him pull out a metal pole which he would have used to attack us. When they couldn’t get through the door, they proceeded to vandalise my BMW.

“We looked at the footage and prior to the attack, there were people hanging around looking suspicious. It looks like they were waiting for us.”

Ms Latham said she wanted to speak out to raise awareness about hate crime, and added: “I already had anxiety but it has gone up even more now. I am going to need counselling.

“It’s unfortunate this kind of thing is still happening in 2019.”

Thames Valley Police said in a statement: "Thames Valley Police were called at around 10.20pm on Thursday to reports of criminal damage in, Beechlands, Hazlemere near High Wycombe.

"A vehicle was damaged by up to three men, they were seen with a baseball bat.

"This criminal damage is also being investigated as a hate crime.

"If you have information that could help us with the investigation, please contact police on the non-emergency number 101 quoting reference 43190017835, or make a report online."