[Scarlett.]

EASTENDERS star Lacey Turner “went down like a sack of potatoes” when a thug punched her in the head outside a club.

The stunned 19-year-old actress — love cheat Stacey Slater in the BBC soap — had to be helped to her feet, witnesses revealed last night.

Lacey had been enjoying a night out with 19-year-old co-star Aaron Sidwell, who plays Steven Beale.



Night out ... the Destiny Club


But they decided to leave the Destiny club in Watford, Herts, at 2am because Lacey was fed up at being pestered by a group of men.

A witness told The Sun: “They’d been having a really good night, but you could see she wasn’t happy.

“I left at around the same time and saw her and Aaron walking across a nearby supermarket car park when the group of men approached them.

“There were a few words exchanged and suddenly one of the blokes lashed out.

“He hit her with a very powerful punch — it knocked her right to the ground. She looked really shaken up and had to be helped to her feet.

“Everyone stopped. They couldn’t believe what had happened. A couple of people helped her into a car and she went home.”



Show pal ... star Aaron


Lacey, from Radlett, Herts, was recovering last night, but was not seriously hurt. Pals said she had been “in the wrong place at the wrong time”.

One close friend insisted Lacey had not been involved in a fight, but stumbled after being “accidentally clipped” by a man outside the club.

The chum added: “Lacey walked past a fight. She was lucky not to be hurt, but was enjoying a scheduled day off yesterday. She is fine and will return to filming today.”

The star did not report the incident to cops. A police spokesman said last night: “Officers dispersed a group in a supermarket car park in Watford following a report of a fight there.”

The Sun


What bastard would hit a woman?