Man attacked by six youths with worktop and road sign
SHOCKING ASSAULT CAUGHT ON CCTV
THIS is the shocking moment a man in his sixties was surrounded by a gang of six youths and seriously assaulted with a worktop sample he was carrying.
In the horrendous footage caught on CCTV, one of the group hurled a road sign at him before he was “pulled to the floor, kicked and punched several times” in a west Hull street.
The CCTV then shows him being hit over the head by a “worktop sample”.
The footage starts with the man walking along Walton Street in the direction of Spring Bank West before the youths came into view.
After the sign was hurled at him, he turned to confront them but the reaction he received was more than he had bargained for.
The small worktop counter he was carrying was pulled from his grasp before the group of around half a dozen men began to attack him.
After a sustained beating, a member of the public intervened off-camera, leading the gang to retreat back towards the Anlaby Road skate park, but not before he was smashed across the back of his head.
Thankfully, he was able to stand and assess the damage inflicted.
Police later confirmed he suffered a large cut to his head and was left “shaken” by the assault.
Launching their appeal for information, a spokeswoman for Humberside Police said: “We are investigating a serious assault which took place at round 7pm on Friday, January 29, in Walton Street,hull.
“A man in his sixties was walking down Walton Street when he began to be followed by a group of youths.
“The youths followed him along Walton Street and then threw a road sign at him, the victim turned around to challenge the youths and was set upon.
“As the CCTV footage shows, the victim was pulled to the floor kicked and punched several times and then hit over the head by a worktop sample he had been
carrying at the time of the attack.
“Thankfully, a member of the public intervenes and comes to the aid of the victim, resulting it the group of youths running back in the direction of Anlaby Road and Walton Street skate park.
“The victim sustained a large cut to his head and was extremely shaken by the incident.
“If you can help us identify those involved, saw or know anything about the incident or were driving past at the time and have dash-cam footage, we want to hear from you.”
Anyone with information should call the police on 101, quoting reference 16/17957/21.
IT has been one of the wettest winters in recent memory and this week’s snow has only added an extra layer of sogginess.
Yet, while water-logged fields and sports pitches are a common site across the region, Hull and the East Riding have so far escaped serious flooding.
In this part of the world, living with the risk of flooding is ever-present.
After all, most of us live on a huge flood plain which drains through low-lying Hull into the Humber estuary.
The 2007 surface water floods and the 2013 tidal surge along the Humber are recent reminders of that risk.
However, steps taken since those two dramatic events combined with some more traditional long-standing flood management measures have been working in our favour in recent weeks.
Here are five reasons why – touch wood – we’re still relatively dry despite all the recent rain, snow, high tides and an unusually high water table.
1 The Tidal Barrier
The barrier at the mouth of the River Hull in the city centre is typically lowered around 30 times a year when high tides are expected to funnel surges of water from the Humber into the river.
In recent weeks, the barrier has also been lowered at low tide to help reduce water levels further up river.
When lowered, the 212 tonne steel gates can create crucial additional space to drain waters from watercourses that flow into the river at different locations.
2 Lagoons
A network of relatively new surface water storage lagoons now circle the city of Hull.
They have all been constructed as a direct result of the 2007 floods with the aim of capturing rainwater running off higher ground before it can enter the city’s drainage network.
At present, the lagoons are close to capacity, but water can be discharged from them into nearby watercourses and drains when it is safe to do so.
3 Drains
Man-made drains and ditches have been a feature of the local landscape for centuries and many still operate today in much the way they have always done, soaking up run-off from surrounding land.
Water levels on large-scale drains, such as the Holderness Drain, which cuts through east Hull, are controlled by a series of pumping stations along its route.
Tidal flows from the Humber have also been be monitored on the Holderness Drain.
The origins of smaller-scale drains, such as Setting Syke in west Hull, date back to the medieval period. Later, in the 16th century, their management was overseen by a special Court of Sewers, which had powers to maintain and drains and banks.
4 Aqua Greens
Another result of the 2007 floods is a network of new aqua greens which have been developed across Hull.
Typically created on existing greenspace, they all feature specially constructed swales to naturally store water after prolonged heavy rainfall.
One in Bristol Road, west Hull, was the location for one of the most memorable aerial photographs of the 2007 floods when all the surrounding houses were under water.
5 Humber flood defences
Work to install raised defences along the Humber waterfront in Hull between Victoria Dock and St Andrew’s Quay is due to be completed by the end of March.
The £42m scheme is direct response to the 2013 tidal surge and, when finished, will reduce the risk of tidal flooding from the estuary for 113,000 properties.
In recent weeks, contractors have battled against seasonal high tides as they work to complete the final sections in the Victoria Pier area.