Knife-attack warning for female joggers

Women were warned by police last night not to jog alone after the murderer of an American jogger in a London park in February appeared to have struck again.

On Friday evening a 39-year-old woman jogger was stabbed "several times" in her upper body while jogging in east London. Her life was probably saved by a doctor who heard her screams while also running in Clissold Park, Hackney, and who rushed to her aid, said Detective Chief Superintendent Jon Shatford.

DCS Shatford is also in charge of the investigation into the killing of Margaret Muller, 27, who was stabbed 49 times in the back and neck while jogging alone in Victoria Park, a 10-minute drive away.

DCS Shatford told The Observer: "We are going to work on the basis that the man responsible for this attack is the same man responsible for the attack on Margaret Muller. While we do not wish to be alarmist, we would ask that women who are jogging in parks or exercising their dogs try to be in the company of a friend."

He said both victims were small in stature. The latest victim was a local woman who jogged regularly in the park . She had surgery on Friday night and was now in a stable condition.