Kind stranger thanked

A woman has reconnected with the kind stranger who was attacked while trying to help her. The pair talked on the phone yesterday and were planning on meeting in person later in the month. Police have also thanked the man – British tourist Mike Garner – for his actions. The attack occurred in central

Auckland in the early hours of Saturday morning.

Charlie Taylor, pictured, was walking down the street when she realised someone was following her. ‘‘I did what they always teach you in school and approached a stranger and told them the situation and he offered to walk me to my car,’’ Taylor said. However, after a few minutes of walking along Beach Rd, pictured above, the man following Taylor caught up and began acting aggressively. ‘‘Suddenly the man turned around and punched the stranger ... and knocked him to the ground with repeated punches.’’ As the attacker fled, Taylor called emergency services. ‘‘He was bleeding badly from his face and his eyes were open and rolled back. He couldn’t breathe properly so that’s when I started doing chest compressions.’’ Taylor promised she would visit him in hospital but it took three days before she tracked him down. Yesterday, Stuff spoke to Garner and his sister, Claire, who he is staying with while on holiday in New Zealand. ‘‘He’s still a bit sore after the attack but I’m just so thankful it wasn’t a lot worse,’’ Claire Garner said. Acting Senior Sergeant Mark Hamilton said: ‘‘We would like to thank the man for his actions.’’ Police are using surveillance footage to track the offender.