A FEMALE traffic warden faces an agonising 18-month wait to find out if she has the HIV virus - after a stranger stabbed her with a hypodermic needle.

The 24-year-old last night spoke of her anger at the man, who laughed as he stabbed her in the arm while she was on duty in Sunderland.

The man - described as being in his twenties and with a drawn face - then taunted her by holding up the syringe.

The woman, who is not being identified, said last night: "I am angry and annoyed, but I don't feel brave. I enjoy my job and I am not going to let him stop me."

She has been left with a needle mark in her arm and a bruise the size of a 10p piece. As well as undergoing a series of tests to discover whether she has contracted HIV - which can lead to full-blown Aids - she must also undergo injections over the next 12 months to reduce the risk of catching Hepatitis B.

The woman, who became a traffic warden in October, told The Northern Echo how the scruffy-looking man ran into her as she walked along Thompson Road, near Coldstream Avenue, at 9.20am on Tuesday.

She said: "He ran about two metres in front of me then turned round and smiled at me, waving the syringe in front of me.

"I didn't put the sharp pain and the syringe together at first - but then I realised, when he turned round to taunt me about what he had done'

"It is disgusting for someone to do something like this to someone walking along the street. It was a completely unprovoked attack."

The woman, who had not issued any tickets that morning, radioed for help.

She was taken to Sunderland Royal Hospital. Police are now working on an e-fit of the man.

She said: "If the needle is infected and it goes into the skin you can catch it (HIV) because there is blood-to-blood contact.

"The chance of there being anything alive on it is small unless he has just used it. But it is a worry."

Detective Sergeant Chris Sybenga, of Sunderland CID, said: "This was a nasty and unprovoked attack on a young woman who was naturally distressed by it. We need to find the man who did this quickly."

The attacker is described as white, 5ft 5in, skinny, with dirty-looking skin and shaved fair hair.

He was wearing dark tracksuit bottoms, a light-coloured sweatshirt and light shoes.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0191-454 7555.