"Curb your road rage," says Burnley cyclist after early-morning assault

Wayne Fulton (34) was commuting to work on Thursday, June 22nd, when two men assaulted him on Accrington Road in Hapton, throwing an array of punches and kicking the former England’s Strongest Man competitor before speeding off.

After coming level with the car at a set of traffic lights, the Harle Syke-born Wayne was set upon, sustaining several blows before the attackers realised he could defend himself. Concerned they would try to knock him off his bike, Wayne - who, after 15 years of riding to work, says driver-cyclist tensions are high - then turned off down a side street.

“Cyclists and motorist just don’t get on,” said Wayne, who created the Burnley and Pendle Strongman League. “I used to take the road most of the time, but I don’t as often these days because of conflicts.

“Some cyclists take the mick, but I’m genuinely not like that,” Wayne added after the incident, which took place at 6:15am. “If cyclists can stay off the roads, do so, because it’s not safe.”

As well as the two attackers, two women were also in the car, one of whom Wayne insists was filming the incident on her phone.

“The two big issues are cyclists pushing their luck and not playing by the rules, and the attitude motorists have,” continued Wayne, an IT manager.

“That other people could be targeted worries me.

“I could’ve been with my daughter,” he said. “I’m in a bike club and one member is in his 70s - it could’ve happened to him; he could’ve been seriously injured.”

Feeling targeted purely because he is a cyclist, Wayne has urged intolerant drivers to take their time to consider matters before acting rashly.

“What I would say is: not everybody is lucky enough to be able to drive - I can’t drive because I’ve got an eye condition - so just think about why people cycle,” Wayne said.

“Don’t tar all cyclists with the same brush, that’s the message.”