A Mary Tavy man has reported being left ‘shocked’ after being punched by a cyclist who ‘went ballistic’ in the centre of Tavistock.

Peter Waymouth, who is 76, was hit in the face and had his glasses knocked off after pointing out to a cyclist he was riding the wrong way on a one-way street. The incident happened the Saturday before last.

He said: ‘I was driving through Tavistock along Duke Street towards Brook Street at about midday and a cyclist was coming along the one-way system the wrong way.

‘I pulled over and wound down my window to tell him and he said “I don’t care, I will do what it like”. Then he just went ballistic for no reason at all. He knocked my glasses clean off and punched me and tried to grab my ignition keys.’

Mr Waymouth, who has been self-isolating for the past two years because of health problems, was on his way back from having a covid booster jab at Abbey Surgery in Tavistock.

‘I’m 76, I am on oxygen and I get out of breath, so I didn’t pick a fight,’ he said. ‘I went and reported it to the police.

‘I was shocked, absolutely shocked. Tavistock is a lovely area and you don’t expect people to do that. I was trying to save his bacon but he wasn’t having any of it.

‘A very nice lady came up and said “are you ok?”. I thanked her and said I just want to go home for a cup of tea or coffee. I’m a Blue Badge holder. In Tavistock you don’t expect that. Talk about road rage.’

He could not identify the man clearly, but believes he was in his 30s and says he had a beard. The crime reference number is CR038889/22.