A masked-man has chased a woman along a footpath near the River Thames in a "terrifying" ordeal that has prompted a police appeal for witnesses. 

The 51-year-old was confronted by the man as she walked to work via the Horseshoe Bridge - where the River Kennet joins the Thames - at 6.45am on Thursday. 

The Didcot resident said: "I was walking my usual route to work and when I got to the top of the stairs on the bridge, this man just appeared from nowhere. 

"He was such a large chap, he blocked the whole path."

The woman described the man as Asian, burly with a pot belly, and around 6ft tall, wearing three-quarters-length dark trousers, a dark hooded coat with the hood up and black mask.

The woman said: "He was close quarters into my space. I moved to the left, he moved to the left. I moved to the right, he moved to the right. 

"I confronted him and said, 'what do you want', because I thought he wanted my bike.

"The whole time he was threatening to hit me, I thought I would have to use my bike as a shield.

"I thought if he did hit me, he would snap my neck, as I'm only small.

"I manged to get past me, and he chased after me."

The masked man chased the woman along the bridge, and then ran after her as she cycled along the path on Kennet Side and down Cholmeley Road. 

"I just pedalled as fast as I could, eyes forward," the woman said. 

"It was so terrifying - he was massive - six-foot, with massive shoulders.

"I am for sure not going to use that route again."

The man stopped chasing the woman near the junction of School Terrace and Liverpool Road.

Now officers from Thames Valley Police are appealing for witnesses to aid their investigation into the incident. 

The man is believed to have a mole under one of his eyes and he spoke with an English accent. 

A spokesperson from the force said: "“Patrols have been increased in the area and an investigation is ongoing.

“Anyone with information or CCTV footage that may assist should call 101 quoting reference 43240474660.”