Mum followed by ‘suspicious’ man near canal

A MUM says she was followed by a ‘suspicious’ man down a canal towpath.

Ruth Stanford, 57, of Quorn, had gone for a walk on Mushroom Lane, Albert Village, near Ashby, while staying with family in nearby Moira on Friday, September 28, when she saw a man acting suspiciously.

She claims a man jumped out at her twice from behind a hedge asking the time, then disappeared back in the woods, where she believes he watched her, reported Derbyshire Live.

The incident was reported to police.

She said: “After the first time, he jumped out I kept looking behind me for two or three minutes.

“I started to feel really frightened because there was nothing around.

“It was a lot more scary the second time he jumped out because I connected the two together.

“The first time he was smiley and nice but the second time he was very close to me, my voice became very trembly.

“My heart was pounding and I couldn’t speak properly, I’m starting to feel that way now remembering it.”

She called her brotherin-law to let him know what had happened and he went to pick her up.

She reported the incident to the police .

A spokesman for Leicestershire Police said: “Shortly after 2pm on Monday, October 1, we received a report from Derbyshire Police of a man acting in a suspicious manner in Albert Village, near Moira.

“The man has not been located and no arrests have been made. There have been no further reports of this nature.

“Anyone with information can call 101.”