DURING THE PAST two months there have been three attacks on the towpath of the Nottingham Canal.
These were a woman raped on 20th June, another woman sexually assaulted on 6th and a man seriously assaulted on 17th July, reports Janet Friend.
Feeling of degradation
With John Moore, a moorer in the city centre telling the BBC:
"It's the same as the city, there's a feeling of degradation about it in places, which saddens me.
"If people like me stop mooring here then it will get progressively worse, It will finish up with more and more people drinking and doing drugs, and being violent and aggressive."
John has experienced vandalism with someone taking off his boats' fenders and throwing them in the water. Though he moors in the marina there where he would be safe, he is still determined to use the canal himself.
Shocked
Canal & River Trust too is concerned, with a spokesman saying it has been shocked by the recent assaults.
The trust told it has been in discussions with Nottingham City Council and Nottinghamshire Police.
The man assaulted
The man recently assaulted on the towpath was seriously injured, with him being taken to hospital.
This took place on the towpath under London Road bridge the Nottinghamshire Police relate.
There was a police cordon around the area with the police telling they are working to ascertain the circumstances of what happened and are appealing for witnesses.