Drainage engineer threatened with Samurai sword (From Croydon Guardian)

Thames Water drainage contractor threatened with Samurai sword in Selhurst

1:10pm Monday 4th February 2013 in News By Chris Baynes, Reporter

A man wielding a Samurai sword threatened a drainage engineer after he disturbed him in the early hours of the morning.

A shocked Thames Water contractor, who had been unclogging a drain, was forced to flee Neville Road in Selhurst after the swordsman emerged from his house at around 1am on Sunday January 27.

The worker returned to complete the job the next day under police escort.

A spokesman for the water company said: "In the early hours of Sunday morning one of our contractors went out to clear a blocked drain.

"He had to leave the scene for his own safety after being threatened by a man wielding a Samurai-style sword.

"The error on our part was that we failed to notify residents before doing this essential work.

"While we appreciate people's frustration, waving a blade is going a bit far. The safety of our workers must come first."