Total shock. That's what Andrea felt after she realised her breast had been groped by a drunken man as she waited to cross the road.
It was barely dark outside, and her raincoat was zipped up to protect her from the rain, as she made her way to the Sainsburys store on Wilmslow Road in Withington.
Her outfit or the location isn't relevant, she points out. But the fact it happened on such a busy and public stretch of road, made the assault all the more chilling.
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Having lived nearby in Fallowfield since 2020, encounters with drunk people aren't unusual. Andrea, which isn't her real name, says she often sees people smoking drugs at bus stops, drinking on the street, and public urination.
But the brazen assault she was subject to on April 30 was particularly shocking, and has left her wary about leaving her home in the evening. GMP has confirmed they have received a report of sexual assault and are investigating.
Andrea says the incident is the product of a wider issue, claiming a culture of street drinking and public drug consumption has become the norm among students and vulnerable people residing in temporary accommodation in the area.
And she fears the problem will only get worse after Manchester Council granted the Shell garage on Wilmslow Road in Fallowfield a licence to sell alcohol between 10am and 10pm. Motor Fuel Group (MFG) which runs the garage, had originally requested a licence between 8am and 10pm.
It comes after the M.E.N revealed that residents in the south Manchester suburb no longer feel safe walking in the area because of 'intimidating' people drinking in the streets.
Locals had objected to the licence application from Shell garage, warning it would be 'disastrous.' They said the prospect of having another off licence in the area fills them with 'absolute horror.'
Andrea, who is in her 50s, was on her way to the shop at around 8.40pm when the sexual assault happened. She's been wary of some streets in Fallowfield in the evening, but felt she'd be safe on Wilmslow Road.
"It really surprised me," she said. "It's Wilmslow Road. It's lined with shops, bars and restaurants. I really didn't expect it, it just came out of nowhere.
"The man didn't say anything and looked very dazed. His friend was very apologetic and said he'd had too much to drink but as the police said to me that's not an excuse for that behaviour.
"I was more angry than scared at the time. I didn't report it straight away but the next morning I decided it needed to be recorded as a crime statistic so the police were aware.
"I've only lived here since 2020 and before that I lived in Levenshulme. There was a real sense of cohesive community there and I rarely saw the level of antisocial behaviour that I've witnessed since moving to this area."
Andrea says she has developed a 'siege mentality' from living in the area, and says she'd struggle to cope if any more late-night drinking licences were granted in the area.
"I'm regularly disturbed by young people on their way out or returning late," she said. "This is in addition to disturbances from some individuals living in temporary accommodation in the area.
"I've heard people dismiss incidents like these as 'well it's Fallowfield' but the needs of other residents matter too. I work full-time, I pay council tax, and I live in social housing. Due to the housing crisis, I cannot easily move and I cannot afford to buy property.
"Everyone deserves to live in a community where they feel safe. The laissez-faire manner in which the Council are currently granting licences is jeopardising the safety and wellbeing of all residents in this community. It feels like a community under siege.
"What kind of community are we cultivating if a middle aged woman can’t walk safely down the street early in the evening without getting her breasts grabbed?
"Drunkenness is not an excuse for this behaviour and I fear that easy access to late night alcohol all along the Wilmslow Road corridor is creating an environment in which anti-social behaviour is becoming the norm."
As previously reported in the M.E.N, Kattie Kincaid, another local resident said she no longer feels safe walking to the post office because of the street drinkers nearby. She told a licensing sub-committee she now tends to drive to Didsbury because she cannot walk locally.
Speaking on behalf of the South East Fallowfield Residents Group, she said the area is now home to many people with 'really complex needs'. She argued that the proximity of the petrol station to the Fallowfield Lodge and Ram Lodge - which both house the homeless - means it shouldn't be allowed to sell alcohol.
Labour councillor Chris Wills told the licensing sub-committee of his concerns about the impact that granting the licence would have on the community. The council's principal licensing officer Fraser Swift also said that the premises' licence application should be refused, citing the 'state of concerns in the area'.
However, a council policy which prevented premises in the Fallowfield area from being granted this type of licence without 'exceptional circumstances' has now expired.
Representing Motor Fuel Group (MFG), barrister Sarah Clover said that the garage would not become an outlet for problem drinkers - or students - because the products sold are more expensive than other stores nearby.
A Manchester council spokesperson said: "Where we receive complaints about street drinking we will always respond to them. Wherever possible this response includes support for anyone with alcohol-related issues who is carrying it out, to help address any underlying issues."
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