A woman was glassed in the face after she left two young children in a car, crossed the street and got into a fight with another woman outside the Piccadilly Centre in Wollongong on Friday afternoon.
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The children were left in the care of police after the woman was taken to Wollongong Hospital with a gaping facial wound from a broken beer bottle.
A man, who was also travelling in the car, left with authorities.
Shopkeepers say the women had a lengthy verbal argument before the sound of smashing glass rang out about 3.45pm.
According to one witness, the blonde attacker held the bottle behind her back for up to 10 minutes before she struck, having given the victim ample opportunity to walk away.
‘‘The [victim] actually antagonised the person who did the slashing,’’ the witness said.
‘‘The [victim] was aware she had the broken bottle behind her, but she wouldn’t let [the issue] go.’’
About 30 seconds before the argument reached its bloody crescendo, the woman with the bottle entered a nearby pawn shop and said ‘‘call the Jacks [police], something’s going to happen’’, the witness told the Mercury.
Wollongong police inquiries into the attack were ongoing on Friday afternoon.
A large, blood soaked bundle of paper towel dropped beside the bus stop showed where the woman had tended to her injury.
A nearby shopkeeper described seeing the woman, ‘‘covered in blood’’, chasing her attacker into the centre.
‘‘She will have that scar forever,’’ the man said.
It is unclear whether the violence was witnessed by the two children, who were travelling in the back of a courtesy car provided by a smash repair company.
One of the boys was in a booster seat.
The police investigation will be aided by CCTV footage.
