A 16-year-old boy has been spoken to by police in the presence of his mum after following a woman through the streets of Ringwood wearing a Guy Fawkes mask. 

Yesterday, the woman told the Echo of her terror as the masked teenager followed her home - even after she had told him he was scaring her.

The 44-year-old, who asked not to be named, said she’d been having drinks with her sister in Yoyo at Christchurch Road and left at 9.30pm. She had just read a message on her phone when she looked up and saw the man in front of her.

She said he was stocky, about 5ft7, wearing baggy jogging bottoms, large boots and a hooded top which covered his head. But the mask meant she was unable to identify him.

Asking him to back off, telling him she was frightened, he then bolted towards her, forcing her to flee.

Fortunately she managed to reach Greyfriars Community Centre where caretaker George Light looked after her. The man soon left and fled towards Bickerley Green.

She said: "I left about 9:30 and walked the short distance home, which is along the main road itself,  something I've done over the last 5 years since living in this lovely little market town and I've never felt fear in doing so, even though I am conscious that I am a girl walking on her own and am very careful not to go down dark roads or take short cuts. 

"As I got to the corner of my road a man in a mask stepped out of the shadows and crossed the road behind me with intent. This scared me and I told him to back off away from me as he and his mask were scaring me. He quickened his step behind me."

“I have never had any incidences before and this one has truly petrified me,” she said. “This was not a group of young lads on the corner drinking and trying to impress peers and being stupid: this man had intent. I turned the corner and ran as fast as I could. I saw a light on in our local community centre and ran to the automatic door; thank goodness it opened for me. If it had been closed then who knows, it’s just too scary to even think about.

“I asked the caretaker not to pursue the man as he was clearly unhinged and God knows what he is capable of doing.

“I also would like to seek advice of where women stand, in a legal sense, of protecting herself,” she added. “I know that the days of pepper sprays have left us, but as women what do we do to protect ourselves? We like to think that we would fight back, but if we were actually grabbed would we fight or would we freeze with fear?

“I’ve always been cautious when going home, but have felt safe to a certain extent in the lovely little town I live. Please keep your wits about you and take care when going anywhere alone.”

Hampshire Police said: "We were called just after 10pm on Tuesday, May 10 by a 44-year-old woman who was concerned about the behaviour of a man wearing a mask who jumped out in front of her as she walked along Southampton Road in Ringwood.

"The man didn't say anything and didn't touch the woman but she felt intimidated by him and therefore walked towards Greyfriars Community Centre as she could see a light on. The man followed her before walking away.

"Officers attended and carried out a search for the man to speak to him about his behaviour but he wasn't located and no further calls were received.

"Chief Inspector Simon Tribe said: "We do not know the intentions of this man but it is possible that he thought his behaviour was funny and didn't stop to think about how it may make this woman feel.

"This woman did exactly the right thing and headed towards a populated area where she was safe and rang the police.

"This man was wearing a distinctive Scream style mask and I would therefore ask anyone with information about this to call us on 101 so that we can hopefully identify the person behind the mask and resolve this incident."

UPDATE 7PM: 

Chief Inspector Simon Tribe said: "We have had a fantastic response from members of the public to reports in the media of a suspicious incident involving a man wearing a mask in Ringwood on the evening of Tuesday, May 10.

"A 16-year-old boy has now been spoken to in the presence of his mum and officers have explained to him how his actions have affected the woman he jumped out in front of and advised him strongly about his behaviour.”