'I was scared for my life': Leeds cyclist left terrified after escape bid from alleged bike thief

The man, who wished to remain anonymous, said he was cycling home from work on Crossgates Road, Leeds shortly after 6pm on Sunday (Nov 10) when he was followed by a man in a white van.

He described how the van driver pulled alongside him as he cycled home before chasing him in a pursuit.

The man said: "I saw the white van with black windows.

"An old guy was smoking a cigarette and looked over at me on my bike.

"I didn’t think anything of it, then two minutes later the van pulled along the side of me and the passenger was covering his face.

"I thought there is something wrong so I started to paddle away and the van pulled over to the right.

"I turned around and peddled the other direction and the van spun round and then came after me so I went through a ginnel to come out on the other side."

The man said the van continued to follow him to his dads house, where he managed to scramble the bike inside.

However, after leaving the property to check on a work colleague who he had been speaking to on the cycle home when he was approached, the van returned and a man chased him.

He added: "He jumped out with something in his hand asking where the bike was and for me to go and get it.

"He chased me and kept going around looking for me.

"I am scared for my life after what happened."

The Leeds resident said he escaped with only cuts and grazes, however said it could have been much worse.

He said: "I don't want to go out on my bike now so I will have to get a taxi for work in case I see them again."