A GWENT man got a bit of a shock while out running when a buzzard swooped and attacked him.

Alan Rosier, 37, pictured, was running along a firebreak road in Forestry Commission woodland close to his home in Pontywaun when the overbearing bird took a swipe at him.

Its first attempt was unsuccessful, so it circled back round for a second try, just missing him again.

He carried on with his run, but on the return leg, the buzzard finally caught up with him, hitting him in the back of the head and causing a small gash.

After he got home from his run, at about 9pm on July 5, Mr Rosier explained what had happened to his fiancée, ecologist Sarah Simons, who said this will most likely have been a buzzard with a nest which was protecting its young.

Mr Rosier, of Gelliunig Road, Pontywaun, said: “It was surprising – I’ll still go out running, just maybe not on that particular track in future.”