Broad Street blood trails either 'human, primate or ferret'

Warning: This article contains graphic images

The substance was found in Broad Street, Duke Street, and Jackson’s Corner yesterday (Tuesday) at 7am and CCTV footage shows a man pouring it along Broad Street at 2.30am.

There have been no reports of an injured person despite checks with local hospitals and the South Central Ambulance Service.

Investigating officer Detective Inspector James Jackson, of Reading CID, said: “CCTV footage captured in the early hours of Tuesday morning, shows a male walking along Broad Street in the direction of Kings Street who appears to be carrying a white plastic bag with a quantity of liquid inside.

CCTV footage caught by cameras belonging to Wolf Italian Street Food

“As the male passes John Lewis at approximately 2.35am, the male is seen to start emptying the liquid from the bag onto the ground.

“At this stage, we have had no reports that would link in with these circumstances, and so we would appeal to anybody who was in the vicinity between 2.15am and 2.45am and believe they witnessed this, or have dash-cam or CCTV images, to please contact 101, quoting reference number 43220080490.

WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGE

A trail of what is believed to be blood in Reading town centre

“I would also appeal directly to the man seen in the images to contact the force, as I would be keen to speak to him.”

Police cordoned an area of Broad Street outside Wolf Italian Street Food at 7am on Tuesday until around 1pm.

Manager Owen Parker-Brunt was the first to discover the viscous red liquid.

Owen Parker-Brunt

“It was a bit of strange one to start the day with,” he said.

He described watching the CCTV footage caught by his shop’s camera with a police officer as ‘strange’.

“If I had turned on the cameras and seen someone being attacked, as horrible as that is, at least you’d know what was going on.”

“This is even more strange that it just seems to be a gentleman pouring a container of blood onto the floor.”