Man threatens to throw girl, 9, in Edinburgh canal

The child and her mum wish to remain anonymous because they are fearful of the man who they believe lives locally

A nine-year-old girl has told of the "petrifying" moment a man threatened to throw her into the canal in Edinburgh.

The schoolgirl was cycling with her mother alongside the Union Canal at Meggetland last week when a man, aged in his 50s or 60s, blocked her path.

She said he was menacing and angry, and he shouted at her that the path was for pedestrians only.

Police Scotland said they were investigating the incident and community police officers were carrying out additional patrols in the area.

The mother and child, who have asked to remain anonymous, were making the half-mile journey home from football training on Thursday evening when they encountered the man.

The nine-year-old told BBC Scotland News she tried to cycle past him when he deliberately stepped into her path.

He told her she was going too fast and that the path was only for people on foot.

"He was eating a packet of Walkers cheese and onion crisps and he wasn't blinking," she said.

"Then he said the 'F word' and I'm going to throw you into the canal. I was petrified.

"He had big bulgy hazel eyes, a bald head and was huge. I thought he was literally going to pick me up and throw me into the canal."

The girl had been playing football with her club at Meggetland Sports Pavillion before the incident

She said she was too scared to say anything other than "OK".

When her 44-year-old mother caught up with her the man told them he would push them both into the canal.

The woman said he fitted the police description of a man who pushed people into the canal in 2022, and she asked him if he was the "canal pusher".

"He got even more angry and puffed up a bit more and looked like he was actually going to chuck me in and my daughter," she said.

"In that moment I realised actually I'm in big trouble potentially and I need to get away. It was very scary.

"I told him we would walk instead of cycling and we edged away."

It is understood that police are not connecting the latest incident with those in 2022.

The incident happened after dark on the Union Canal

While she was trying to call the police a runner and another cyclist stopped to say they too had been threatened by the man.

The canal path is part of the National Cycle Route 754.

It is the latest in a series of similar incidents on the Craiglockhart/Meggetland section of the 31 mile (51km) canal.

Insp Keith Forrester, of Police Scotland, confirmed the incident involving the nine-year-old. He said they were aware of other reports of similar behaviour in the area, but that they were not linked.

He said inquiries were ongoing and that they were reviewing CCTV from the area.

"We are aware of concerns in the community following reports recently of assaults and threatening behaviour on footpaths along the Union Canal in the Edinburgh area," he said.

"Community policing teams are carrying out additional, high visibility patrols of the area."