‘I punched him as hard as I could and broke my hand’: Edinburgh woman who fought off man who attacked her starts self defence classes for other women

A kickboxing champion who fought off a man who grabbed her while running in Edinburgh has now started self defence classes for other women.

Natasha Baldwin, 30, was running on Lauriston Farm Road last Thursday when a man grabbed her.

She explained: "It was horrid, this is the first time I have experienced anything like that.

A woman who broke her hand while fighting off a man who grabbed her has started self defence classes.

"I punched him as hard as I could and broke my hand.

"It was absolute instinct.

"There wasn't even a thought, I just hit him.

"It was using years of training, I ran all the way home - adrenaline hit.

"I've been doing kickboxing since I was seven years old, so more than 20 years.”

Since the attack, Natasha has put all her energy into training at the martial arts gym she and husband Kevin own, and playing with daughter Effy, aged three.

She and Kevin, 34, are now teaching Zoom self-defence classes to women which are already selling out.

Natasha, who is a WAKO world champion, said: "I always chose not to run at night or in darkness.

"I have been running once since but I drive to Cramond and run down there a bit where it is going to be more populated.

"I'm strong for a girl my size and every time I run I wear loads of layers, like leggings and a jumper and body warmer.

"I know there has been a lot of mixed publicity about police but they have treated it so well."

Since the attack. Natasha has put all her energy into training at the martial arts gym she and Kevin own, and playing with daughter Effy, aged three.

She added: "I'm not too shaken up and I'm getting back into training.

"We are doing a self-defence session on Zoom on Saturday and we've got 30 women signed up and more inquiring.

"It is about trying to turn a negative into a positive."

Inspector Graeme Dignan said: "We are investigating a report of a woman being stopped by a man on Lauriston Farm Road, Edinburgh around 10.30am on Thursday, 18 March.

"We understand the concern that this will cause local residents however I can assure them that, whilst the investigation is at an early stage, we will pursue all lines of enquiry."

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