Young woman standing motionless "like a zombie" stops traffic in Penwortham

Dad-of-two Anthony Rishton reported the strange encounter after driving home along Hill Road South at around 9pm on Wednesday, January 6.

The 47-year-old had been approaching a bend near the junction with Cop Lane when he saw the young woman up ahead, standing in the middle of the road.

Anthony said he flashed his lights and sounded his horn, but she failed to respond and remained "frozen to the spot".

"She almost looked like a zombie," said Anthony, who was left shaken by the encounter.

"It was so strange. She was just stood there and there was no reaction to me coming towards her, flashing my lights or sounding my horn.

"I was thinking of getting out to check on her and see if she needed help, but then I spotted a dark-clad hooded figure lurking in the trees nearby on the pavement.

"So I made my mind up to start driving slowly around her and she still didn't move. She was still stood there as I drove away.

"I had mixed feelings all the way home. I felt guilty in case she needed my help and I should have stopped. Maybe there had been an accident or something?

"But also relief because something just didn't feel right to me. There was the person in dark clothes just stood near the trees and I feel like I avoided something terrible that night.

"It could be innocent or a stupid prank, or it could be a trap to mug motorists, we have to make a snap decision and mine was that it looked dodgy."

As soon as Anthony reached his home he alerted others to the incident on a local community Facebook page and reported it to the police on 101.

He said: "I wouldn't feel good about myself if I had woke up the next day to read that someone had been car jacked or mugged on Hill Road South."

The strange encounter has left him wondering what might have happened if he had got out of his car on the dark and deserted street that night.

He added: "It was very strange, especially given the freezing temperature as well. The police said they would send a patrol out to check, but I never heard anything back. So it leaves me wondering what was really going on.

"I wanted to warn others so when I got home I posted what had happened on Facebook. I just didn't want anyone else to be caught out like I was.

"I sincerely hope the young lady wasn't in any trouble or in harm's way. But I didn't want to risk a car jacking or mugging or worse. And I would hate anyone to have hit her because they didn't see her in the road until it was too late, as she was stood right on the bend."

After sharing his strange encounter on Facebook, other residents in Penwortham reported similar incidents.

Ashley Sharples said: "This happened in Kingsfold last week too".

Gabrielle Graham added: "Yeah it did, one lad was stood in the middle of the road and my partner went to get out (because he wouldn’t move out the road).

"Then he's seen another four lads and one carrying a metal bar. They all then started shouting abuse, so he got back in the car and managed to drive off as they chased him!

"Scary thing was our four-month-old and our other two kids were in the car just minutes prior to this.

"Scary to think about what their intentions were, especially having a metal bar with them."

And Jess Jayne, responding to Anthony's post, said: "My partner's just been down there, must’ve been minutes after you. The girl wasn’t in the road but he saw the group of lads with their hoods up. Think you did the right thing."

Lancashire Police has been approached for comment.

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