More women pushed into canal

FOLLOWING on our report of two women pushed into a canal, the police are investigating a total of five in one evening.

Sophie Watson was the woman who was cycling along the Worcester & Birmingham Canal in Birmingham when a gang of male cyclists swooped on her and pushed her into the canal then rode off laughing, Keith Gudgin reports.

Another woman pushed in

Making her bedraggled way back home she met another woman in distress who had also been pushed into the canal by the same gang.

It has now come to light that on the evening of last Friday the gang rode the towpath of the waterway singling out lone women and pushing them into the water.  If cycling, the bike went in too.

The police are now actively investigating the attacks and patrolling the towpath.

It was told that the gang completely ignored single men walking the towpath concentrating on the women.

Not to use towpath

Sophie has spoken out about her ordeal to warn other women of the danger of the gang on the towpath telling them not to use it if alone.

As we reported, Sophie was left left 'bruised, shaken and very wet and dirty', and as she struggled home met another woman in distress who had also been pushed into the canal. As this became known, more and more women have come forward stating they were similarly attacked and pushed into the water by the gang of around 10 young men on cycles.

Push in near Bournville

Sophie later tweeted about her experience and has since heard about other women being pushed in to the canal further along the towpath near Bournville, also on Friday night, adding:

"I cycle this route most days and had just been out for a bit of exercise. I'd travelled down cycle route five to Stichley, then back along the canal.  I always wondered when I'd end up falling in, I never expected I'd be pushed in."

If this is allowed to carry on it will be only a matter of time before some unfortunate woman will be drowned, as the thugs are not interested in what becomes of their victims, it all being one big joke to them.

There has been no comment from Canal & River Trust.