How an umbrella can keep you safe
LIKE many people, I was deeply upset by the fatal stabbing of 12-year-old Ava White at the Liverpool Christmas lights switch-on at the end of last month. I am a personal trainer who teaches self-defence and I would like to offer the Mail’s readers, particularly those with teenage children who may be venturing out in town and city centres over the festive period, some advice on how to help themselves stay safe. Nothing in self-defence is guaranteed, but following this advice should give anyone a better chance. The first step is to buy the following items: a head torch (often available from camping or Army surplus stores), a whistle and a 3 ft umbrella. You will see why in this list of personal-safety tips. PUBLIC PLACES: Stick to public places. The more public they are, the less likely it is that something ugly could happen. Try to ensure you stay in streets covered by CCTV. WALK OPPOSING THE TRAFFIC: Always walk opposing the traffic. That way, you can see a motorcycle or moped (or even an e-scooter) coming towards you and any robbers on two wheels are at a disadvantage. WEAR A HEAD TORCH AFTER DARK: Although you may feel a bit silly, wearing a lit head torch sends a signal to criminals that they will be seen, so they won’t mark you down as a target.
Trust me, it’s like having a force field around you. CARRY A WHISTLE: And if, heaven forbid, anything happens, blow hard on it. That will attract attention, which is the last thing any criminal wants. CARRY AN UMBRELLA: Teenagers are in a Catch-22. If you carry a knife, you can rightly be arrested and convicted. If you don’t, what happens when someone with a knife attacks you? The answer is to carry a 3 ft umbrella instead. It’s legal and can be used as a parrying device to get space between you and any attacker. That said, in any attack your first reaction should always be to run away if at all possible. TRY MARTIAL ARTS: My final tip is to Google local martial arts courses. Whether it’s aikido, judo, karate, kung fu, taekwondo or kickboxing, anyone proficient in a semi-contact or full-contact martial art is a dangerous person to mess with and will have been taught how to avoid an assault. JAMES BOND, Ormskirk, Lancs.