DIRTY gypsy!" "Go back to where you came from!" It may be more than 60 years since Hitler began killing hundreds of thousands of gypsies in the Holocaust, but hatred and prejudice against Romany families still lingers on today.

Young Mary Penfold grew up not in a trailer or a caravan but in a suburban house in Bournemouth.

But the 12-year-old has found herself the target of abuse because she is descended from a long line of Romany gypsies.

Now the schoolgirl is fighting back against discrimination aimed at the gypsy community, and has won backing for her bid from Liberal Democrat peer Lord Avebury.

Mary said: "I would like people to accept us for what we are and not for what they've heard on TV.

"We are all humans and should respect each other."

Mary says she first encountered abuse last year when she started at secondary school, where she was taunted about her family background.

"They called me 'dirty gypsy' and told me to go back where I came from," said Mary.

The 12-year-old, who lives in Winton with her parents, Joe and Shirley, comes from a well known local Romany family and can trace her lineage back many generations.

She said: "I don't know why people are so horrible about gypsies. They don't really know us.

"I'm proud of my gypsy blood and I can't change who I am."

Mary has put together a project on her family and their long history in the local area, with the hope of helping others understand more about gypsy culture.

Seven generations of Mary's family lie buried in Christchurch cemetery, with the names Penfold, White and Smith appearing on many of the headstones.

A beautifully-decorated caravan which once belonged to one of her ancestors can be seen on display at Paultons Park near Romsey.

Mary's great-great-grand-mother, Betsy Smith, was a famous flower seller in Bournemouth town centre, and visitors from all over the world would queue up to have their photo taken with her.

One of 24 children, Betsy was born in a caravan on Derby Common in Bournemouth and sold flowers from the age of 14 up until she died at the age of 72.

Hundreds of people packed out the Square for her funeral to pay their last respects.

Mary has also written to Travellers' Times, the national magazine for gypsies and travellers, about her experiences, and has received support from Lord Avebury.

The peer wrote to her saying: "I am very sorry to learn of the problems you have at school with people calling you names, and I hope you will be able to get a decent education in spite of this unpleasant experience.

"Every human being is an individual and all are worth respect."

Mary's dad, Joe, travelled widely as a youngster and never went to school but decided to settle locally to give his children more stability and the chance of a formal education.

He said: "I really want Mary to stay on at school but when people don't understand, it's easier to go on the offensive than try to make friends."

Mum Shirley added: "We went to a travellers' conference in Birmingham and what surprised us was how many other gypsy children are going through similar problems at school.

"It made us realise that we're not alone."

Now Mary, along with her parents and other members of her family, hopes to set up a liaison group for local gypsies in the Bournemouth area.

They are also looking into how distance learning using laptops and the internet can help give travelling children a better education.

First published: May 11