Axe maniac who hacked down man on river towpath and left him with life-changing injuries has been on run in London for more than a week

Published: 20:00, 11 August 2026 | Updated: 20:00, 11 August 2026 An axe-wielding maniac who hacked down a man on a river towpath has been at large for over a week, the Daily Mail has learned. Emergency services were called to Transport Avenue in Brentford, west London, at around 10.20pm on Tuesday August 4 after residents heard screaming and shouting. When paramedics arrived they discovered a man in his 40s with severe axe wounds at Clitheroe's Lock 99 on the River Brent towpath. He was treated at the scene before being taken to hospital with life‑changing injuries. The Metropolitan Police launched an attempted murder investigation before carrying out a detailed search of the area. Despite launching an 'urgent' manhunt, detectives have failed to trace the attacker for nearly a week and the suspect remains at large. The Met Police have said it is unknown if the attacker knew the victim but refused to say whether the assailant poses a threat to the public. A police source told the Daily Mail the incident is not believed to be gang-related. Emergency services were called to Transport Avenue in Brentford, west London, at around 10.20pm on August 4 where officials found a man in his forties with severe axe wounds A Met Police spokesperson told the Daily Mail: 'No arrests have been made at this stage, however this continues to be treated as an attempted murder investigation with arrest enquiries ongoing. 'The victim has life-changing injuries.' Members of the public can call 101, quoting reference 8737/04AUG, or contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111, with any information. Sorry we are not currently accepting comments on this article.