My terror as stranger tried to drag me up path
VICTIM’S SCREAMS CAUGHT ON CCTV DURING SHOCKING ATTACK
A WOMAN has told of her horror as she fought off a stranger who grabbed her from behind in a terrifying attack.
CCTV footage captured Lauren Spencer’s screams as the man grabbed her waist and tried to ‘drag her up a path’ in Middleton.
The attack itself was not captured on camera, though the footage from a resident’s CCTV cam showed the moments before and after the incident.
It captured Lauren walking along the road, then appeared to show a man – who Lauren described as the suspect who grabbed her – walking closely behind her. Shortly after, horrifying screams can be heard.
The clip then appeared to show the same man running back towards where he came from. Lauren said she has been left ‘shaken’ and ‘not feeling herself’ after the attack, which happened on Great Arbor Way.
She was making her way down the street at around 9.20am on Tuesday as she headed to an appointment when she was grabbed by a tall black man with an afro haircut. She was listening to a podcast through her earphones when she heard footsteps behind her. A man then grabbed her by the waist.
“He put his arms around my waist and I turned around then went into panic mode”, Lauren said. “I just started screaming ‘no’ and dropped down. I was struggling as much as I could and was trying to push his hands off me.
“He was trying to pull me and drag me back up the path. He ended up just letting go, it seemed like forever but it was probably only 10 or 20 seconds.”
She said that she had her bag on her shoulder, but that the suspect did not try to take it. Lauren added: “If it was a young girl or child or this happened to someone else they might not scream and just go into sheer shock. He could have even picked them up.”
When the man ran from the scene, Lauren said she rushed to the nearest house and asked her help. She was then taken to safety by neighbours as she called the police.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police confirmed that the incident is being investigated. Anyone with information can contact police on 101, quoting incident 871 of 17/05/2022.