A woman cycling through Hyde Park suffered a rope burn to her neck and was almost knocked off when she rode into a rope strung across a path. The incident happened near Speaker's Corner at about 10pm on Tuesday.
The London Evening Standard reports that while the cyclist managed to maintain her balance upon feeling something across her neck, she later noticed a rope burn injury. She told police that a group of hooded teenagers had held the rope across her path.
Detective Constable Mick Heaney of Westminster CID said: "This is an extremely dangerous and foolish act that could cause serious injuries. We are not aware of any other incidents at this stage but would urge cyclists and pedestrians to exercise caution when in the area."
No arrests have been made, but anyone with relevant information has been asked to call Westminster CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
It is sadly not uncommon for wires or ropes to be strung across paths. We have reported on similar incidents on a number of occasions, most recently in May when police received three calls in two days about wires strung at neck height across the Brynmenyn cycle path near Bridgend.
On that occasion, officers were concerned that the wires may have been the work of young people who didn’t appreciate the seriousness of their actions. Police visited local schools to speak to children from the area.