A fuming Scots mum has spoken of the moment a cyclist shoved her autistic son through a bush and into a canal.
Calvin Mitchell had been walking near the waterway in Edinburgh's Redhall Park on Wednesday morning when the chaos unfolded.
The eight-year-old, who is autistic, had been with his carer from school when he was plunged into the canal, reports Edinburgh Live.
His mum Kat claims her son was left soaked and scratched after being pulled from the water following the sickening incident.
A horrified Kat told Edinburgh Live: "The headteacher called me and said there was an incident with Calvin today.
"Every day because he is at a special needs school he has always gone for a walk every single day as part of his routine.
“So one of his teachers takes him for a walk just by the school.
"They were walking along the canal and the teacher was holding his hand and she said that a cyclist bombed up behind him.
“Calvin got shoved and where the canal was it was all jaggy bushes and he fell through the bushes and fell into the canal."
Kat has praised Calvin's quick-thinking carer but has been left outraged over the incident that left the youngster 'really distressed'.
“She went over and got him out but I think she got a bit of a fright as well because it had come up behind her," said Kat.
“They said that he was really distressed because he was all scratched and he hurt himself on the jagged bush.
“He went right under the water, but it wasn’t too deep so she managed to get him alright."
On being told of Calvin's horrific ordeal, frantic Kat immediately phoned their GP.
She said: “They basically said to me can you phone the doctor because it is really dirty water and we don’t know if he swallowed some.
“He tried to continue his walk but he was soaked. He has severe autism and a learning difficulty so she had to get the headteacher to come and meet her and they managed to convince him to go back, but he was really upset.
“I phoned the GP and the GP just said if he seems well in himself then it’s fine, the school did say to me that they have called the police about it. "
Cops have now launched an investigation into the incident.
They said: “Officers in Edinburgh have been made aware of an incident involving a cyclist and a male child, which took place in Redhall Park around 11am on Wednesday, 25 August. Enquiries into the matter are at an early stage.”
