Praise for Peterborough salon staff who looked after man assaulted in Westgate Arcade

A man walking through the arcade in Queensgate Shopping Centre towards Westgate was attacked by another man running up behind, according to an eye-witness.

The assault left the victim bleeding from his nose, but he found support from Pkai Hair where staff helped to look after him.

Fiona Henry saw events unfold just before 11am when she was out with her children.

She said: “We were walking through Westgate Arcade towards Queensgate. There was a man walking through towards Westgate and another man just ran up behind him and attacked him, putting him to the floor.

“He obviously wasn’t going to give up so I made sure the kids were far enough away. The lady in Style let them go to sit in the shop to make sure they were safe while I was calling the police.”

The victim then ran into another shop where he was followed in by the attacker.

Fiona said: “The attacker ran out of the shop and tried to take a phone out of the hand of a man who was trying to call the police, then ran back into the shop before leaving and heading towards Westgate.

“The man who had been hurt had a bleeding nose and ended up seeking safety in Pkai salon. I got the kids and thanked the lady in Style and went to let the man know that the police were on their way.

“The staff in Pkai were amazing, looking after the man and offering us all drinks and biscuits. Queensgate security guards were in and out of the salon to speak to us and the staff just took it in their stride, making sure we were safe.”

Fiona said the victim appeared to have suffered a broken nose, on top of the shock of being attacked.

She added: “I left him with the police after they had taken my details. It was a very scary experience, and if he hasn’t been already I hope the man is caught soon.”

A Cambridgeshire police spokeswoman said the force was investigating. Anyone with information should call police on 101.

Pkai, when contacted by the Peterborough Telegraph, said: “We would do the same thing for anyone.”