Thug mistook whipped cream 'explosion' for graffiti in bizarre Northampton attack

A marathon runner whose whipped cream canister exploded in an unfortunate incident was attacked by a passer by in Northampton.
Mr Winkler sustained a hole to the eyelid after he was punched outside the Coop.Mr Winkler sustained a hole to the eyelid after he was punched outside the Coop.
Mr Winkler sustained a hole to the eyelid after he was punched outside the Coop.

Tom Winkler, 30, was walking home from a Northampton Saints game through Abington when he stopped at the Barry Road Co-op to buy some whipped cream - because he had a salted caramel cheesecake at home.

While innocently trailing the can along the wall near his house on his way back home the canister exploded in the dad-of-two's hands.

But Mr Winkler was shocked at what happened next.

The incident took place after Mr Winkler bought cream from the Coop in Wellingborough Road back in May.The incident took place after Mr Winkler bought cream from the Coop in Wellingborough Road back in May.
The incident took place after Mr Winkler bought cream from the Coop in Wellingborough Road back in May.
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A man in a grey Audi, who was irked by what he thought was an act of vandalism, screeched to a halt.

He exited the vehicle, ran over to Mr Winkler, punched him in the face and threw a bottle at him.

Mr Winkler, who ran the London Marathon in 2016 dressed as a giant shoe for Cancer Research UK, said he was idly scraping the squirty cream canister against the wall when it exploded.

He said: "I had the can of whipped cream that I bought at the Co-op on the Wellingborough Road as I knew my wife’s mum had left us some cheesecake.

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"The can was being tapped on the wall as I rarely struggle to sit still and [I am] always doing something.

"I’m 6ft 7 and when the guy started punching me repeatedly I just thought don’t punch him back in case you hurt him, and let him punch me. The whole time [I was] saying it’s whipped cream."

Tom sustained a cut on the top of his left eyelid, bruising around his left eye, reddening to the side of his nose and scratch marks to his collar bone.

He added: "It has left me with some severe anxiety issues in and around my local area as it happened at the end of my street."I just don’t think it’s okay to be attacked at the end of your road over a can of whipped cream, farcical as it sounds it’s just not right."

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Now Mr Winkler wants to move his wife, two children and dog out of the area where he feels he can safely train for his fifth London marathon.

Mr Winkler came to the Chronicle & Echo for help to find a witness to the crime four months on.

A spokeswoman for Northamptonshire Police yesterday (Wednesday) confirmed that no arrests have been made and they are appealing for witnesses to come forward by calling 101.

She added: "This happened on May 4th between 9pm and 9.15pm, when a man was walking along Christchurch Road with a can of whipped cream.

"On the way, the can exploded and the cream sprayed everywhere. A man in a grey Audi A7 is then reported to have pulled up and attacked the man as he believed he was spray-painting."