Lockdown runs: Women 'chased and harassed by men'

Sophie Lee says she had to flee from someone who leapt out of an alleyway and chased her

Female runners say they have faced increased abuse and sexually harassment while exercising alone in lockdown.

Sophie Lee, 25, from Hull, said she been shouted at from cars and vans and had people jump out and try to touch her.

Others said the rise in abuse and catcalling had made them feel paranoid during their solo runs.

A third of female runners have experienced harassment while exercising alone, according to England Athletics.

"Someone jumped out of a side alleyway and started chasing me [once]. Luckily I was fairly close to home so I just ran as fast as I could," Ms Lee said.

She recorded body camera footage showing a group of men saying "I would" - implying they would want to have sex with her - as she ran past.

Club runner Lois England said she feels more "secure" running in groups because of abuse she's faced alone

Fellow runner Lois England, 26, from City of Hull Athletics Club, said she is abused on "pretty much every run" when on her own.

With restrictions on how many people you can meet during lockdown, many runners now exercise alone.

"Usually I run in a big group of people, so that does make you feel a lot more secure," she said. "It's very rare that people shout at a big group."

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Megan Hatfield, 17, said people make inappropriate comments when they see her exercising.

"Parkruns are cancelled, races are cancelled, you can't go to the track.

"You have no option than to go out on your own," she said.

Seventeen-year-old Megan Hatfield says people have asked her for "inappropriate things" while she's out running

Ms Lee said she knew of women who had stopped running alone due to their fear of being harassed.

"I've got friends who this has happened to before and that's actually prevented them from going out running on their own and that's very upsetting," she said.

England Athletics said half of the women runners it surveyed in 2017 feared for their personal safety.

Humberside Police said shouting unsolicited and unwanted comments could be an offence and victims should report it.

Elite athletes have also experienced abuse while training in public during lockdown.

GB athlete Sarah McDonald said a man on a moped grabbed her bottom as she warmed up by the side of a canal in Birmingham.