A lone female cyclist was verbally abused and sprayed with beer by a group of men blocking a cycle path in Swindon.

The woman in her 50s was subject to crude comments from the men, described as white and in their late 20s or 30s, and sprayed with beer by another during the frightening incident on Friday afternoon.

The rider was left shaken, and police now believe the same group may have been involved in criminal damage and potentially an assault on the same road earlier in the afternoon.

The Swindon Advertiser reports the woman was cycling along Whitworth Road in the north of the Wiltshire town between 3pm and 4pm when she was stopped between the junctions with Haydon View and Mendip Close.

Police said the men walked off shortly after but may have been involved in earlier incidents as well.

Officers ask anyone with information to come forward, including anyone who witnessed the incident or who may have been targeted.

Anyone with private CCTV, video doorbell or dash cam footage which could help is asked to call 101, quoting reference 54220012595.