A cyclist was knocked off his bike with a tree branch, viciously attacked and mugged on the Fallowfield Loop.

Pip Moss, of Stretford, was cycling home from work when he saw a group of teenagers ahead on the pathway near to Yew Tree Road, in Fallowfield.

The 28-year-old continued to cycle the route home, but as he passed one of the boys swung a tree branch towards him.

It struck Pip on the side of his head and he was flung from his bike.

As he lay on the ground the yobs continued their attack and several of them kicked him in the head.

They shouted for Pip's pin number to his mobile phone and threw him to the ground when he attempted to get up.

Eventually they walked away with Pip's bicycle, mobile phone, keys and debit card.

A group of passing cyclists came to Pip's aid and called police from Mauldeth Road West.

One of them found his rucksack, but the stolen items were not inside.

Pip was taken to A&E and was found to be suffering with a fractured left elbow, a cut to his forehead, a black eye, bruising and grazing to his torso.

The attackers used the stolen debit card to purchase some items in a nearby shop.

Greater Manchester Police have launched an investigation into the incident which took place on Thursday, April 25 at around 6.25pm.

Officers are also searching for the stolen dark purple Marin City bicycle.

Pip, a paralegal, told the M.E.N: "I was cycling in the middle of the path. I passed the first boy on each side, the one with the branch swung it down over my head.

(Image: Luke Steinman)

"It hit me on the right side and knocked me off. Immediately after I had reached the ground I was being kicked by several of them.

"They were shouting questions at me. 'Where is your mobile?' 'What is your password, what sort of mobile is it?'

He added: "It is not even smart - it is evil and stupid.

"I am unsure whether I will ride the Floop alone again. I will have to see how I feel.

"I am not sure if I will be able to feel confident if there were kids there again."

A spokeswoman from WalkRide Greater Manchester, a cycling and walking campaign: "Yet another vicious and unprovoked attack on someone doing something as simple and harmless as riding his bike.

"We urge Greater Manchester Police to take this violent crime seriously and invest real resources to find the culprits before another innocent person is left bloodied and broken. No one has yet been brought to justice despite at least 30 people being attacked on the Fallowfield Loop and the adjoining Yellow Brick Road over the past year.

"Greater Manchester's green plan, launched in March 2019, and backed by all 10 boroughs, requires huge reductions in car journeys and an increase in ‘active travel’ methods - specifically 1 million fewer car journeys per day by 2040 and 50% of all journeys made by foot, bike or public transport.

"This will never happen if the authorities do not make it safer for people to travel on two wheels or two feet."

It follows a spate of violent attacks and robberies on cyclists along the Fallowfield Loop pathway and the Yellow Brick Road, from the Velodrome.

At least 21 cyclists were attacked within a short space of time last Autumn, according to figures released by Walk Ride Greater Manchester.

Any witnesses or anyone with further information can contact GMP on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.