'They surrounded us full of anger' Victims tell of horrific sex gang attack in Cologne

A TEENAGER has spoken out after being surrounded by a gang of up to 30 men who groped her and her friends in the horrifying New Year's Eve attacks in Cologne.

Teenager Michelle has spoken of the sex attacks in Cologne

Michelle, 18, said she was one of those who was in the main station in the city when attacks broke out.

She is one of 118 women who have come forward saying their were attacked by up to 1,000 immigrants.

She said: "There were 11 of us together at the time.

"At around 11pm we were at the main train station and wanted to travel on to see the fireworks, and that was when we first noticed all these men standing around.

Michelle said she was in Cologne rail station when the attacks broke out

"We managed to go into the cathedral and wanted to go past the Museum Ludwig to join everyone and watch the fireworks by the river, but suddenly we were surrounded by a group of between 20 and 30 men."

She said that she and her friends grabbed each other and started holding hands and added: "They were full of anger, and we had to make sure that none of us were pulled away by them.

"They were groping us and we were trying to get away as quickly as possible."

As they fled and were groped, the men also took the opportunity to rob objects from their pockets, stealing mobile telephones as the teenage Germans girls fled.

Later as they attempted to go home, they noticed how more men were shooting rockets and other fireworks at each other near the train station.

She said: "It was around 12:30 and we went back to the train station to catch a train that was supposed to go at 1am. But there were so many people around it was really difficult to get to the platform."

People gathering outside of Cologne station on New Years Eve

She said it was impossible for them to stay together and that her group got separated.

She said: "It was only when I got to the platform that I realised my train was not travelling, as I had to go back through the mass of men and walked the 3 miles home by foot."

She said her biggest worry now was about the upcoming Carnival festival, which traditionally sees loads of holidaymaking Germans celebrating in January and February in the festival season.

She said: "It is supposed to take place in four weeks and I really hope that the police have got the situation under control by then."

People setting off fireworks in Cologne on New Years Eve

She was one of many victims to speak, with her were many other anonymous women who refused to show their faces.

One young woman for example identified only as Katja L., gave a harrowing testimony of her ordeal.

She told German media: "When we came out of the station, we were very surprised by the group that met us there".

She said the group was "exclusively young foreign men", and added: "We then walked through this group of men. There was a passage through [the men] through which we walked." She described the moment and said she: "Felt a hand on my buttocks, then on my breasts.

"In the end, I was groped everywhere. It was a nightmare. Although we shouted and beat them, the guys did not stop. I was desperate and I think I was touched around 100 times in the 200 meters.

"Fortunately I wore a jacket and trousers. A skirt would probably have been torn away from me."