‘Traumatised’ Coronation Street star Tina O’Brien fears ‘reprisal attacks’ after brawl with teen girls near her home
Coronation Street star Tina O’Brien fears she could face “reprisal attacks” after a brawl with teen girls, a pal has revealed.
Tina — who joined the soap aged 16 in 1999 — is said to fear being targeted following Friday night’s brawl in Bramhall, Stockport.
Shocking footage caught the 5ft 1in actress throwing punches and putting one girl in a headlock as she tried to break a fight up.
But the soap legend was also hit and had her hair pulled after she rushed out of her £1million Manchester home wearing pink jogging bottoms.
Tina told ITV bosses she was defending her home from teenage girls “spoiling for a fight”.
A pal of Tina’s said she is now looking at beefing up security at the home, which she shares with hubby Adam Crofts and her two kids.
The pal said: “Naturally, her number one priority is making sure they are safe and, crucially, that they feel safe.”
Yesterday, the 40-year-old held a crisis meeting with her soap bosses, who offered their “total support”.
The actress who plays Sarah Barlow in the ITV Soap has been given a week off work after she was left “traumatised” by the vicious brawl.
One source said: “Tina went straight to meet her Corrie bosses this morning. She told them she was the victim here, and they have accepted that.
“They also think the incident has traumatised her so have been very sympathetic. Tina has been left really shaken and they told her to take a week off.”
Tina was praised yesterday by the mum of a youngster who she rushed to protect.
The mother of a 15-year-old girl who Tina defended claimed the group had been looking for trouble after a fall-out over a boy.
She said: “Tina has been pretty brave in stepping in. Tina is only little herself and she was defending my daughter, so I am extremely grateful to her.
“You can hear in her voice on the video that she is frightened.
“This is also not like her, and she is a really good person.
“I have thanked her and would have done the same if it was my house.”
A source said: “Tina came out to break things up — but ended up joining in. At one point, it ended up three-on-one with Tina and two girls against this other lass.
“She was throwing punches and also took a few blows herself.
“Watching her on Coronation Street, you wouldn’t think in a million years she’d get involved in something like this, especially in such a public place.”
Naturally, her number one priority is making sure they are safe and, crucially, that they feel safe
Pal
The violence erupted last Friday night around 10ft from her driveway, while a second brawl took place 20ft away.
A source close to the actress said she had been left “deeply disturbed” by the incident — and had reported it to police herself.
A relative of one of the girls also reported it to cops.
The source went on: “Tina has been plagued by problems near her house and, on this occasion, came out to try to deal with it.
“Some girls travelled to her road and were close to her house so she felt she was defending herself and her home.”
Police are investigating. A spokeswoman for Tina declined to comment.
ATTACKS ON EX'S MOTOR
By MICHAEL HAMILTON
TINA O’Brien was accused of smashing up her ex Ryan Thomas’s Range Rover with a baseball bat after a late-night row two years ago.
The Sun revealed that the motor’s wing mirror was taken off and its paintwork scratched during the 1am bust-up.
The couple started dating in 2003 when they were both starring on Corrie and have a daughter Scarlett. But they then had a “fractious relationship” after splitting in 2009.
Tempers were said to have flared after Tina had been partying with friends, and Ryan went to meet her.
A source said at the time: “It was quite a disturbing incident and Ryan drove away as soon as he could. He’s furious.”
Ryan, 39, played Jason Grimshaw in Corrie until 2016. He has since retired from acting.