Penny Lancaster was attacked when she was just 12 years old.

Penny Lancaster

Penny Lancaster

The 44-year-old model - who is married to Rod Stewart - appeared emotional as she recalled the "unfortunate incident" which saw her accosted by a man on her way to school.

She said: "I had a very unfortunate incident. It was a journey on the way to school and I was attacked.

"It was nothing about the way I looked, I could have been in a short skirt or I could have had thick tights on, it wouldn't have mattered.

"I had choir practice the day before and they allowed me to go into school later, and I was attacked under a subway."

Thankfully, the blonde presenter was "tall and strong" enough to fight off her attacker.

She added on UK TV show 'Loose Women': "Being tall and strong, I managed to fight off the man who pulled up my skirt and wrestle with me. "

Penny reported the shocking incident to police and helped with an investigation as she wasn't the only young person to report an attack, but the assailant wasn't caught.

And now, the mother-of-two - who has sons Alistair, nine, and Aiden, four, with Rod - wants young people to be better educated on the "dangers" of being out alone.

She said: "Girls and boys need to be educated of the dangers, they get educated about the internet, but it's still out there on the streets."