Parents in the area are raising the alarm after a gang of masked thugs have been targeting children on bikes along a popular river path, with attacks going on since June.
The group, who cover their faces with balaclavas, have been ambushing young cyclists using the trail, leaving families too scared to let their kids out. But it has not stopped there. Police officers who responded to the trouble have also found themselves in the crosshairs of the same gang.
Concerned parents have been speaking out after months of incidents on the path, saying enough is enough. Families who once saw the riverside trail as a safe, enjoyable route for their children are now think twice before letting them head out on their bikes.
The attacks have been going on since at least June, meaning this has been a problem brewing for the best part of the summer and into the autumn with no clear end in sight. For many local parents, the fact that it has gone on this long without being fully dealt with is deeply frustrating.
What makes the situation particularly alarming is the brazenness of the gang. Wearing balaclavas to hide their identities, they have shown little fear of consequences, even going as far as targeting police when officers have turned up to deal with reports of trouble on the path.
Local families are calling on police to do more to make the trail safe again, and there is a growing sense of anger that children cannot simply enjoy a bike ride without fear of being confronted by a masked group looking for trouble.
Police are aware of the incidents and have been responding to reports along the route, but the attacks have continued, which has done little to ease the worries of parents in the community.
For now, many families say they are simply avoiding the path altogether, which is a sad situation given that these kinds of outdoor routes are supposed to be community spaces where people of all ages can get out and be active safely.