Warning of 'suspicious' man wearing balaclava in bushes next to River Ock in Abingdon

Annabel Simcoe said she was ‘frightened’ to see the man sat in a bush next to the River Ock in Abingdon last week.

The 22-year-old was suspicious after seeing him duck into foliage along the Ock Valley River Walk at about 8am on Thursday.

She said: “Once I saw him, I immediately felt uncomfortable and picked my son up and walked past as quickly as I could.

"I saw him sitting in a gap in the bushes, looking out on to the pathway of the walk. I felt worried the rest of the way to town.”

The mum-of-one, who lives in South Abingdon, was walking into the town centre with her two-year-old son and was concerned about the man’s proximity to several schools.

She reported the sighting to the police, describing him as about 6ft tall and wearing a black coat and black balaclava.

Miss Simcoe, who lives near the river, said she went to walk along the footpath again at about 8.30am on Tuesday but was stopped by a passerby, who had just spotted a man in the bushes wearing a balaclava.

A map of the Ock Valley River Walk. Pic: Google Maps

She said: “He said that as he walked past, the man stared at him. I turned around and walked the other way for safety.

"I often walk that way with my toddler. This route is a very popular route for dog walkers, runners, cyclists and children going to and from school as it is away from busy roads. 

“This man could be innocent, but a man in a balaclava in a bush on a river walk at 8am makes me feel immediately suspicious.”

Miss Simcoe shared a warning of the sightings on her Facebook page, in a post that has been shared almost 80 times.

One person commented saying he and his wife had also seen the man on both occasions and had reported it to police.

Thames Valley Police has not yet confirmed if it is investigating.