Mum’s horror after ‘grunting man in mask jumped out & grabbed son, 13, at nature reserve’ on way home from school
A 13-YEAR-OLD boy narrowly escaped after a masked man allegedly tried to grab him at a nature reserve.
The schoolboy claimed the incident happened as he walked through the Rainworth nature reserve in Nottinghamshire on Friday, July 4.
The teen said he was walking through woodland near Rufford Colliery Lane after school when a disguised man “leapt out from the undergrowth and tried to grab him”, according to his mum.
His horrified mum told Nottinghamshire Live: “He told me he was grabbed by a man who jumped out of a bush and got his wrists, and I was just like ‘what do you mean?'”
The teen told his mum that he had been attacked by a man and had only escaped by hitting his assailant’s knuckles with a rock.
The man is then said to have grunted before letting the boy’s wrists go, according to his mum.
Recalling the horror moment, the boy said he sprinted away before falling into some high ferns.
He then told his mum he stayed hidden until he thought it was safe to come out.
Nottinghamshire Police confirmed they are investigating the attempted abduction.
The force has carried out “extensive inquiries” in the area, including at a nearby mental health hospital, but has not yet identified any suspects.
Chief Inspector Clive Collings of Nottinghamshire Police said: “We are investigating reports of an incident near Rufford Colliery Lane, Rainworth, at around 5.15pm on Friday, July 4.
“This would have been an extremely upsetting incident for the boy involved and we are determined to uncover exactly what happened.
“Extensive inquiries have taken place in the local area – including at nearby hospital facilities.
“As our investigation into what happened continues, anyone with additional information is asked to call 101 quoting incident 553 of July 4, 2025.”
