A FRIEND of a young woman who was attacked as she walked home after a night out in Cirencester, has expressed concern at the lack of taxis available in the town at night.

A 29-year-old woman, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was punched from behind and grabbed around the neck in a vicious attack at 3.15am on Sunday, August 6, as she walked home to Chesterton.

Friend Lucy Wingrove said some of the group of eight women decided to walk home when they struggled to get a taxi at about 2am.

“My friends and I waited for over an hour to flag down a taxi in the town after calling every local company, but without success,” said Lucy, who lives in Ashton Keynes.

“One of my friends decided that it would be much quicker to walk to Chesterton.

“It was there that she was horrifically assaulted by a stranger.”

She added: “Clearly this attack represents a much darker side to our town and was not the sole fault of the lack of taxis.

“However, had there been a taxi operating, things may have been very different for my friend.”

The victim was walking along Somerford Road when she was approached by a man who asked her if she knew of a taxi firm.

As she walked into Oaklands, the man punched her and grabbed her around the neck.

However, she fought back and lashed out at the man, scratching his face with sufficient force to draw blood and then ran away, dropping her handbag.

Gloucestershire Constabulary are appealing for witnesses and want anyone who may have seen the unknown offender, described as white and wearing a red coat, to get in touch.

He may still have a scratch on his face near one of his eyes.

Lucy, 28, said she and her friends had noticed the lack of taxis after dark ‘for a while’ adding that ‘the situation had definitely got worse’.

She said the majority of taxi firms in Cirencester do not take bookings after 11pm, with her and three others having to call a taxi from Swindon to take them home to Ashton Keynes.

One of Lucy’s friends was given a lift by her dad, while three others, including the woman who was attacked, decided to walk.

The first Lucy heard of the attack was a text from a friend the following morning, which left her feeing “awful”.

She said it was ‘ironic’ that the attacker tried ‘engaging with her by asking for help getting a taxi’.

“It’s crazy the lack of taxis and the fact you are expected to wait an hour or even longer.

“A taxi from Cirencester to Ashton Keynes is seven miles. Surely that would be quite lucrative. From now on, my friends and I will not venture out into Cirencester nearly as often, for fear of being stranded and I am sure that other people feel the same.

Lucy went on to say that she is also “convinced the lack of taxis is leading to increasing instances of drink-driving in the area”.

According to Gloucestershire Police, drink-driving related causalities in the county are the highest in young people aged 15-29.

Furthermore, two thirds of drink-drive related casualties in Gloucestershire happen on weekend nights. 

“It’s pretty terrifying,” said Lucy.

“If these first two issues weren’t bad enough to encourage a change, there is surely a business case for something to be done,” she said.

“Do we want Cirencester to be a vibrant and safe community, or are we prepared to be left with a ghost town of closed bars and restaurants?”