TEN years ago, some individuals might have found themselves targeted by vandals or even shunned by ignorant yobs if it was known that they had HIV.

Thankfully, those shameful times have changed.

Except, apparently, in the area of Blackburn where 61-year-old Adrienne Seed lives.

Adrienne, who is also an HIV and Aids awareness campaigner, says she and her family have had to put up with eggs and ice cream being thrown at their home and car. Her son has also received bullying texts which reduced him to tears.

Such behaviour is, thankfully, rare in this day and age. But that doesn’t alter the fact that what the Seed family have had to go through is totally unacceptable.

HIV sufferers and their nearest and dearest deserve the sort of understanding and compassion so vividly shown by the late Princess Diana who successfully campaigned to change attitudes by getting involved with Aids charities more than 20 years ago.

Adrienne hasn’t reported the incidents to police in case her son faces even more bullying. She should, so that the culprits can be caught and severely punished.