Woman assaulted in Beaconsfield while out picking mushrooms
Officers are keeping an "open mind" as to the offender’s motive
A woman has been assaulted in Beaconsfield while she was picking mushrooms.
It happened on Tuesday afternoon (1 June) between 2.30pm and 5pm, when the victim, a woman aged in her forties, was in a wooded area by the football pitches and the overbridge of the M40 near to the Halls Barns Estate.
The woman was struck to the back of her head, she believes by a hand, when she was crouched down.
She fended off the offender, screaming and swearing at him before he ran off.
The victim suffered a slight injury to her arm and ankle and did not require hospital treatment.
The offender is described as a white man who was wearing a black tracksuit and tatty old white trainers.
He also had a black hooded top with the hood up and a face mask.
The offender had rough hands with dirty fingernails and is believed to be aged in his fifties with a small build and was just under 6ft tall.
Investigating officer Detective Inspector Lucie Clarke, based at Amersham police station, said:
"This is a concerning incident in which a woman was assaulted while she was out collecting mushrooms.
"Thankfully, she was not seriously injured, although was obviously shaken by the ordeal.
"I am appealing to anybody who was in the vicinity and believe that they witnessed any suspicious activity or a man matching the description of the offender running away, to please get in touch with police.
"You can do so by reporting online or by calling the 24-hour non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 43210241124.
"You can also report 100% anonymously via the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
"We are keeping an open mind as to the offender’s motive, but this appears to be an isolated incident with no other similar incident being reported.
"I would urge anybody with any information to please get in touch with police."