It was around 3am, when I awoke to a very suspicious sound.

This is not unusual as even the merest leaf falling on the roof can wake me up. It was not a fox like the previous night skipping along the roof, it was the sound of someone trying to remove my bike. It was the sound of scooter engines ticking over right next to my boat on the towpath.

As realisation dawned on me at what was happening just a few feet from my head, Mr X sprang out of bed, running to the side hatch. My mind was still catching up trying to think of the best course of action. Mr X didn't think, he just did.

Neither technique had any effect. The scooters careemed down the towpath at warp 6 Mr Sulu and shot out of sight.

Mr X surveyed the rooftop and proclaimed my bike was still there and with both wheels still attached. one security cable cut.

The bike was locked on the roof to the centre line loop with a D lock, a heavy duty motorbike chain and a small cable around the front wheel.

They cut the small cable thinking (rather optimistically) that was all that secured the bike.

Since even the most nible and delicate of nymph like cats couldnt tip toe across my sound amplifying roof without being duly noted, the chances of three social wastrels swiping my bike, with me just a few feet under it, un-noticed was a tall order.

So, the question remains, why were three people on scooters riding around on a towpath at 3am carrying bolt croppers?

This also raised another question, what if I was on my own, what would I have done? Since I don't have a panic alarm attached to the boat, I thought perhaps keeping an airhorn handy that could be used as a loud distraction, as well as my camera which lives beside me at most times might be the best defence against would be attackers. I think if I used the machete, it would end up being turned against me.

Yet again I am reminded why I dislike living on the east side of London, or infact, within the M25.