Schoolgirls at Waldegrave School in Twickenham have been warned to be on their guard following a knife attack on a woman last Monday.

Police are so concerned that they are planning to get more bobbies on the beat in the area following the woman's ordeal.

A twist in the case is a telephone call made to Waldegrave School in Fifth Cross Road four days after the attack. A man rang Waldegrave School on Friday asking if it had any information on the case. The same man also rang a Richmond newspaper to find out if they had reported the attack. Police believe the caller was the knifeman.

The attack took place at around 6.30pm as the woman was walking along Mill Road, Twickenham.

A man ran towards her waving a knife. She screamed and he ran off towards Lincoln Avenue. Police now plan to have police dogs, mounted police and extra patrolmen around the area.

Chief Inspector Peter Hughes said: "We need to appeal for witnesses but we do not want to alarm people unnecessarily.

"These are precautionary measures."

Headteacher of Waldegrave Heather Flint said: "We have told our pupils not to take risks when going home. We have told them to go home in pairs and avoid unlit places."

The attacker was white, in his 20s and wore a balaclava hat. Anyone with information should contact DC Jim Kavanagh at Twickenham CID on 0181 541 1212.

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