‘It clawed at the back of my head’: the Hertfordshire village harassed by a hawk

Flamstead residents - tall men, in particular - are under attack from a Harris's hawk which has gone on rampage in recent weeks

When Michael Hart went for his morning run in rural Hertfordshire last week, he did not expect to be attacked. I felt something come at me from behind," said the 31-year-old, who works in IT.

The perpetrator has quietly stalked the streets of Flamstead for months but in the past fortnight has gone on a rampage, having bumped and slashed more than 20 men, including Hart. A hunt for the serial attacker is under way.