Police are linking a spate of crimes which have seen cyclists pushed into the Grand Union Canal around the Westminster area.

They say there have been six incidents of the kind last month, including an instance where a 53-year-old was shoved in at Paddington to February 23.

Officers have identified five further incidents that took place before that in February, which they are treating as linked.

Police say the suspects are black males aged in their late teens or early 20s.

The first incident occurred on February 5 at 9.18pm in Westminster. The gang next struck on February 10 near Harrow Road at the junction with Westbourne Park, in Kensington and Chelsea, at 6.15pm.

The following day they pounced twice in Westminster, first at 7.19pm and then again at 8.45pm.

They then pushed a cyclist into the canal on February 17 at 6pm near Brindley House, Alfred Road in Paddington.

It was at the same location they struck on February 23 at 6.30pm. On that occasion the victim was helped out of the ice-cold water by passersby and treated at hospital for cuts and bruises.

As a result, uniformed police from the Safer Neighbourhoods Team have increased patrols along the canal and put in place a dispersal order between February 25-27, which allowed officers to to disperse groups of people suspected of anti-social behaviour or criminal offences.

Victims 'frightened and traumatised'

Inspector Anna Brennan, who heads the Safer Neighbourhoods Team in Westminster, said: “These incidents have been very unpleasant for the victims, who may have not suffered particularly serious injuries, but have been left frightened and highly traumatised by what has happened to them.”

She said that while the water was not deep, it still posed a significant danger to people who could not swim or who were injured. She also revealed one victim struggled to get out of the canal as his feet were clipped to the pedals of his bicycle.

“I would appeal directly to the persons responsible for these attacks to give serious thought to what they did, and just how dangerous it is," added Insp Brennan.

"Pushing strangers into a canal is not funny, and could have very serious consequences."

Anyone with information can call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.