"I Have Never Felt So Scared in My Life" - Woman Recounts Chilling Experience of Being Followed

Another woman has recounted a frightening experience after being followed by an unknown male. This comes on the heels of two other incidents in Coleraine which Causeway Coast Women recently reported.

Kheva Cole took to social media to share her terrifying ordeal, hoping to raise awareness and prevent others from facing the same fear she experienced.

"I’m writing this because I don’t ever want any other girl, woman, or anyone for that matter to feel the way I have today," she wrote.

At around 4 pm, she had gone to the Spar on Castlerock Road for a few essentials. Walking back home via Strand Road, she noticed a man standing at a set of steps leading up towards the Heights. 

"I knew something wasn’t right as he kept watching me to see where I was going," she recalled.

As she got closer, he stepped back as if trying to conceal himself. The uneasy feeling in her gut told her something was wrong, so she crossed the road to create distance. But when she glanced back, he was following. When she crossed again, so did he.

"Every move I made, he made the same one," she said.

Feeling increasingly panicked, she spotted another man out walking and approached him for help. 

"I asked if I could walk with him because the man behind us was following me. This man was a literal angel on earth and stayed with me until I could get someone to come and get me."

Kheva credits both the kind stranger and her aunt, Lynda Watt, who rushed to pick her up, for ensuring she got home safely. However, the fear from that moment lingers.

"I have never felt as scared in all my life as I did today. I genuinely don’t think I will ever walk anywhere on my own ever again," she admitted.

This incident has sparked fresh concerns over women's safety in the town, particularly as it follows two other similar incidents. 

Kheva's experience serves as a stark reminder of the importance of trusting one's instincts and seeking help when something feels off.

She concluded her post with a warning: "My gut feeling kept telling me something wasn’t right. I am so thankful to be safe now."

Police Enquiries Underway

A spokesperson for the PSNI confirmed they are looking into the incident.

‘Police in Coleraine received a report yesterday, Sunday 9th February, in relation to a man acting suspiciously in the Strand Road area.
Enquiries are being made in relation to this report to ascertain the circumstances.
Police would like to hear from anyone who possibly witnessed anything suspicious in the area between 4 and 5pm yesterday, to contact them on 101 and quote reference number 1455 09/02/25. You can also report online at https://www.psni.police.uk/report.’