A Swindon woman has revealed how she feared for her life after running from two men pursuing her while walking her dogs.

The 56-year-old, who asked to remain anonymous, was walking her two dogs around Tadpole Garden Village when she was followed by the strangers.

After noticing that she was being watched continuously, she broke into a panicked dash across the field at The Stray and noticed the men continued to follow her.

“They were walking up the field behind me, they were following me,” she said.

“I have never been so scared before and I literally ran for my life.”

At around 4pm on Sunday, February 12, the woman decided to walk her eight-year-old black Labrador and her ten-year-old Cairn Terrier for their usual trip out.

“I have been walking my dogs along the same route for several years and I have never experienced anything like this before,” she said.

“It was still light and visible as I wouldn’t walk in the dark.”

Swindon Advertiser: The Stray in Tadpole Garden Village was the scene of horror for the dogwalker.The Stray in Tadpole Garden Village was the scene of horror for the dogwalker. (Image: Dave Cox)

The woman walked across The Stray and the fields, then continued to walk alongside the river but she noticed something peculiar on her route.

“I noticed two men coming across the field who didn’t have dogs and were not dressed like the dogwalkers you’d usually spot around here,” she said.

“They were wearing bomber jackets, jeans and trainers.”

After spotting the mysterious men who began walking about 200 yards in front of her, the woman continued to walk and keep a distance.

“They looked behind a few times at me and I began to realise something was wrong as they suddenly disappeared,” she said.

“There is a little area nearby where kids tend to hang out in the summer, but I realised that the men had climbed down and hidden there.”

After making this worrying discovery, the woman decided to change course and head for the nearby field to make it back to the village.

“I was really worried and I walked away from the riverbank,” she said.

“I looked back and one of the men’s heads popped up and looked directly at me, causing me to run for my life.”

Swindon Advertiser: The woman says that she will never walk her dogs on the same route ever again.The woman says that she will never walk her dogs on the same route ever again. (Image: Dave Cox)

“The dogs ran as quickly as they could bless them and so did I, despite wearing big wellies and having a dodgy knee.

“We ran towards the entrance at the top of the hilly field and after looking behind one last time, I saw the two men walking up the field in my direction. They were following me.”

The trio then came across another dogwalker and were relieved to have made it back to safety.

“I warned the woman about what had happened and then I marched all the way home,” she said.

“I was worried that they would attack me or rape me, but I also think they could have been after my dogs.”

Swindon Advertiser: The experience left the woman traumatised and in tears.The experience left the woman traumatised and in tears. (Image: Dave Cox)

She said she broke down when retelling the scary incident to her husband at home.

“I burst into tears to my husband and we contacted the police,” she said.

“I’ll never walk there again as I am shaken and upset about what has happened but also angry. My perfect walking route has been taken away from me.”

A Wiltshire Police spokesperson said: “We received a report regarding two men who appeared to be acting suspiciously in Tadpole Garden Village at around 4.30pm Sunday.

“We take all reports of this nature seriously. Anyone who was in the area at the time and has concerns should contact us on 101 quoting log 251 of Sunday’s date.”