Cyclist has bike stolen after attack by teenage thugs on towpath

TEENAGE thugs threatened a cyclist with a weapon before ripping his bike away from underneath him.

Phil Wilcoxon, from Droylsden in Tameside, was cycling home from work on the Ashton Canal towpath when a teenager walked in front of him and refused to let him pass unless he handed over his bike.

Phil refused and the yob then pulled a weapon out from his trousers, which looked similar to a weeding tool with a forked prong. Three other teenagers appeared before Phil was punched from behind. As he lay on the ground the group pulled him off the bike and rode away on it. They made off in the direction of Manchester Road, in Openshaw. The robbery took place at around 5pm on Tuesday, August 7 on the towpath near to Edge Lane.

Anyone with information can call police on 101.