HUNT FOR THE COWARDLY THUG WHO PUSHED MICHAEL, 72, INTO LAKE
VICTIM HELPS TO RUN THE CITY PARK’S PROTECTION GROUP
A MYSTERY attacker pushed a 72-year-old man into a Derby lake, leaving him with a number of injuries.
Now the victim, Michael Schofield, has issued a public appeal to find the thug who attacked him in Alvaston Park.
Mr Schofield says he was attacked by an unknown person who pushed him from behind and into the lake before running off.
Retired lorry driver Mr Schofield was left with a number of injuries, including grazes and cuts to his arms and legs.
He said: “I was alone when I was walking back through Alvaston park, like I do every day. Someone pushed me from behind and pushed me into the lake.
“I’m quite resilient, to be honest. It doesn’t really bother me, but I would like to find the person who did this.”
Mr Schofield only managed to get a quick look at his attacker, but describes him as white, with dark short hair, aged in the mid-20s.
It happened on Friday, August 27, at around 11.30am.
Mr Schofield said that whilst there were other people in the park, nobody was close enough to get a good look at his attacker or help him recover from the fall.
“I do still feel safe in Alvaston, although I’m 72 I do exercise quite a bit in the area,” he said.
“I’m vice chairman of Alvaston Park Friends as well, so I’m always looping around the lake, but I wasn’t expecting someone to come up behind me and give me an almighty shove. He ran off away from the water as soon as he did it. By the time I got out of the water, he was long gone.”
Mr Schofield reported the incident to the police who are currently investigating the attack.
A spokesman from Derbyshire police said: “Officers were called to reports that a man had been pushed into the lake at Alvaston park on 27 August. Enquiries are ongoing into the incident. No arrests have been made.”
Anyone with any information about the incident should contact the police on 101.