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Youths attack charity runner
From the Amesbury Journal, first published Thursday 7th Mar 2002.
CHARITY runner Alison Pitcairn was left nursing a painful welt after being attacked by four youths while out on Sunday on a practice run for next month's London Marathon.
The teenagers confronted her as she was running through Harnham and lashed her with a long piece of bramble.
The incident occurred just five days after Alison had suffered the blow of losing the friend whose brave fight against cancer had inspired her to compete in the marathon and raise money for Salisbury Hospice.
To Alison's great distress, Pat Scott, of Fonthill Gifford, died in the hospice last Tuesday, aged 57.
Pat had become Alison's adoptive mother when her own mother died of cancer 16 years ago - and Pat's death has served to make Alison even more determined to take part in the big London event.
Sunday's attack occurred as Alison was nearing the end of her 17-mile training run.
She said: "I was running through Harnham, on the pavement just by the Rose & Crown, when I saw these young teenagers in baseball caps coming towards me.
"I knew they wouldn't make way for me, so I ran off the pavement and round them, but as I passed them, I felt the most excruciating pain across my behind.
"I think they must have lashed me with something like a long bramble to cause such pain and such a wound.
"It's still very painful and I can't sit or lie down comfortably."
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