'Knight on a shining bicycle': Boris Johnson saves film-maker from girl gang attack
Crime-fighter: Boris Johnson was on his bike when he helped Franny Armstrong (right) who was surrounded by hoodie-clad girls
He pledged to tackle the 'scourge' of crime and yob behaviour, promising to 'lead the fight back against it' to make the streets of London safer.
And it seems Boris Johnson is not afraid to practise what he preaches.
The Mayor of London was cycling home when he rushed to the aid of a woman who was being attacked by a group of hoodie-wearing young girls, one of whom was brandishing an iron bar.
Documentary film-maker and climate change activist Franny Armstrong was walking home when she was pushed against a car by the girls.
She called out for help to a passing cyclist, who turned out to be Mr Johnson.
He chased after the girls, waving the iron bar they had dropped and shouting 'oiks'.
Valiant Mr Johnson,45, then returned to the shaken woman, Franny Armstrong, and insisted on walking her home.
Miss Armstrong, 37, from Camden, London, praised her 'knight in shining armour' for his bravery.
She said: 'He said to the girls: "What do you think you are doing?". He picked up the iron bar, called after the girls and cycled after them. He returned a few minutes later and walked me home.
'He was my knight on a shining bicycle.'
Miss Armstrong was walking home alone in Camden on Monday night when the she was surrounded by the young girls.
She was texting and did not notice the girls until they pushed her 'quite hard' against a car. She feared she would be mugged.
'I noticed that one had an iron bar in her hand - it was frightening. At that moment a man cycled past and I called out for help.'
To her surprise her rescuer turned out to be the foppish Mayor of London.
She has praised his efforts despite disagreeing with his politics. She had voted for his rival Ken Livingstone in the Mayoral elections.
'If you find yourself down a dark alleyway and in trouble I think Boris would be of more use than Ken,' she said.
Miss Armstrong directed the film Age of Stupid and is the founder of the 10:10 campaign which aims to cut 10 percent of carbon emissions in 2010 and has attracted support from leading firms and personalities.
Yesterday the Mayor's office confirmed Mr Johnson's part in the incident, saying he had pledged to 'tackle crime' in his electoral campaign.
Shortly after signing the declaration of office at City Hall in May last year, Mr Johnson pledged to tackle to 'scourge' of crime and outlined one of his key priorities was to make the streets of London safer.
He said at the time: 'This problem of kids growing up without boundaries and getting lost in tragic and self-destructive choices is the number one issue we face in this city.
'It's the job of me as mayor to lead the fight back against it.'
As Mayor of London, conservative Mr Johnson is Chairman of the Metropolitan Police Authority. A spokesman for the Metropolitan Police said the incident had not been reported to the force.
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