Victim tells of horror as ‘dangerous’ runner feared to be ‘body slamming people’ into London canal

8 May 2025, 14:38 | Updated: 8 May 2025, 14:47

Ayla Mellek was body slammed to the ground by a stranger in broad daylight while walking along Mile End canal . Picture: Instagram

By Flaminia Luck Loading audio...

A young woman has spoken of the horror of being body slammed to the ground by a stranger in broad daylight - amid fears the "dangerous" attacker is still at large and doing it to others.

Ayla Mellek[1] told LBC she was walking along Mile End canal in East London on Sunday when the runner slammed into her bringing her to the ground with "so much force the air left her lungs".

The 20-year-old who works in marketing said she was left feeling "very violated" by the incident, especially as she believes the man did it deliberately.

The Metropolitan Police have confirmed an investigation has been opened into the assault and that so far no arrests have been made.

Fears have been raised about the rogue runner as a cyclist fell into the same canal in March after being pushed by a stranger.

William, 75, told local news he believes the man did it on purpose and that he is "seriously dangerous".

The Met has been approached on whether they believe the two cases are connected.

'Shocked'

Ms Mellek said she was walking along Regent's Canal towpath at midday with a friend when the man appeared.

She said she "heard him before she saw him" and that he was running towards them grunting.

Despite having space on the path, he slammed into her with "so much force" that the "air left her lungs".

She added she "never thought in a million years" something like that would happen - especially in broad daylight along a busy towpath.

Ms Mellek confirmed the friend she was with called out to him but he didn't stop to look back or even apologise.

She said they were both "so shocked" by the "dramatic" incident and that members of the public helped her up.

'Very violated'

Ms Mellek developed whiplash from the incident and said she will have to get physiotherapy to help her back.

She added since it happened she has been "nervous" about going out, and that she jumped when someone ran past her in a train station the other day.

She is also confident it was not an accident and that the man was "getting satisfaction out of it".

She felt "very violated" by the incident and that it left her feeling "so helpless" as in the moment she "couldn't do anything".

She also made the point that it could have been so much worse if she had been pregnant or physically vulnerable.

She added the whole experience was "disgusting" and left her with a "sick feeling".

Ayla Mellek believes the runner did it on purpose. Picture: Instagram

Back in March, it was reported in a local newspaper an elderly man was pushed off his bike and into Mile End canal on the same towpath by a runner with a similar description.

He said the man lunged at him with his elbow and struck him in the chest, knocking him into the water.

"I was totally shocked and as I looked up, the guy had carried on running and hadn't even looked back," he told the East London Advertiser.[4]

He went on: "At this point I fell off my bike, onto the edge of the canal and then into the canal with my bike falling on top of me.

"I was totally shocked and as I looked up, the guy had carried on running and hadn't even looked back."

The man was attacked on Regent's Canal towpath. Picture: Alamy[5]

'Seriously dangerous'

Multiple passers-by stopped to help him up and another cyclist claimed the jogger had "almost done exactly the same thing" to him.

"My mind was clear then that the runner had done it on purpose."I got home and sure enough my left leg was in a bad way - I had two days where I could hardly straighten it.

"Where the runner had hit me in the chest with his elbow, there was a bruise around nine inches long so he must have hit me with quite an impact.

"I'm 75, I'm not a young man but I keep fit and I think that fitness has allowed me to recover from this assault. Had I not been fit, it would have been a different story - broken legs, broken ribs.

"I think this guy is seriously dangerous and he is still out there."

The man fell off a bicycle and into the water. Picture: Alamy[6]

The Met said: "Police are investigating an assault that took place on Sunday, 4 May at 12:30hrs.

"It is alleged a man pushed a 20-year-old woman as she walked along the canal in Mile End, Bethnal Green.

"She attended a police station the following day to report the incident.No arrests have been made.

"An investigation into the circumstances is ongoing.

"If you have any information, please contact police by calling 101 and using the reference: 01/7453718/25."

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson said: "We are investigating an alleged assault without injury which is said to have occurred in Regent's Canal towpath at around 11:00hrs on Sunday, 9 March.

"The victim was reportedly elbowed by a passing runner and fell off a bicycle and into the water due to the proximity of the canal.

"Enquires are ongoing.

If you have any information please do contact us on 101, quoting: 01/7253773/25."

References

1. ^ Ayla Mellek (www.tiktok.com)
2. ^ Man charged with murder after horror stabbing in Lloyds bank (www.lbc.co.uk)
3. ^ Sister of British nursing student stabbed to death just days before graduating attends ceremony on her behalf (www.lbc.co.uk)
4. ^ he told the East London Advertiser. (www.eastlondonadvertiser.co.uk)
5. ^ Alamy (www.alamy.com)
6. ^ Alamy (www.alamy.com)