THE trainee, in his 20s, was confronted by a maniac who attempted to steal the pet two miles away from the Swinton Barracks in Tidworth, Wiltshire.
The incident on Friday afternoon sent shockwaves through the camp, though the young victim, who suffered a facial wound, is expected to make a full recovery.
It is understood that police are now investigating the attack.
It is not thought to be linked to the victim’s role in the Army.
A source said: “It was a random attack while he was out walking a dog.
“The attacker approached him and produced a knife, and demanded that he hand the dog over.
“Obviously he refused. The knifeman made a lunge at him, and he was wounded in the face.
“The attacker wouldn’t have known he was in the military, but obviously, with the threats soldiers face, this is still an alarming incident.”
Military sources said Wiltshire Police were investigating the incident as a civilian matter.
Swinton Barracks is a 320-acre military estate on the eastern edge of Salisbury Plain, which is regularly used for Army drills.
It houses two Royal Engineer regiments and two Signal regiments.
Wiltshire Police said: “At around 3.45pm on Friday, we received a report that an unknown suspect had approached a man walking a dog in woodland near Perham Down and attempted to snatch the lead of the dog.
Horror moment McDonald’s staff threatened with huge machete and four teens arrested
“The victim, a man in his 20s, suffered a minor injury to his face during the incident.
“Our enquiries into the incident are ongoing.”
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A soldier was confronted by a maniac who attempted to steal his pet two miles away from the Swinton Barracks in Tidworth, WiltshireCredit: Google
WITH the weather set to stay clear and dry this week, we’re encouraging readers to make the most of the sunny rays with a hike.
So grab those walking boots and head for the hills.
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We’re encouraging readers to make the most of the sunny rays with a hikeCredit: Getty
These hiking-themed staycations are perfect for spring, when nature is in full bloom and before the heat ramps up in summer.
Sophie Swietochowski picks six of the best.
COTSWOLDS
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The Wheatsheaf Inn, Northleach is a great rest stopCredit: Supplied
For something more challenging than a stroll but not so tough you need all the gear, the 6.8km Northleach and Hampnett circular route is a great choice, passing rolling Cotswolds hills and a gorgeous 15th century church.
Reward yourself with a post-hike pint at The Wheatsheaf Inn in Northleach, a traditional country pub where stone floors are kept toasty by roaring fires.
The 14 bedrooms upstairs boast just as much character, with roll-top tubs taking pride of place in the larger rooms. Dogs are welcome, too.
Hilly hikes in the leafy Herts city are a dream for any history lover.
The 10.5km ramble from Hatfield across the disused railway, known as the Alban Way, leads into St Albans city centre, where Roman ruins and a grand cathedral await.
Rest those weary limbs in the heated pool or sizzling sauna at Sopwell House’s Cottonmill Spa, tucked away in 12 acres of countryside.
The charming bedrooms feel cosy, thanks to the old-fashioned decor, while the reception is kept warm with a roaring log burner.
Make sure to pop into the hotel’s Omboo restaurant for sharing plates of sushi, hot, sticky chicken and truffle spring rolls.
Throughout the woodland and green fields of the New Forest, wild ponies are allowed to roam freely.
You may even notice some munching on the grass outside a pub or strolling along the narrow country roads.
Nature enthusiasts should take the challenging, but tranquil, Lyndhurst to Brockenhurst Loop.
It winds 16km through tree-dense forests and past quaint village tea shops.
Book one of the 13 dog-friendly rooms at The Huntsman in Brockenhurst, which recently had a facelift and now features cottage-style furniture and shiny bathrooms in rich green and blue.
Try the Sunday roasts loaded with meat and flavour-packed gravy.
Coastal cliff paths overlooking golden sands and choppy waves are in abundance here.
Pack your binoculars and stroll the St Nectan’s Glen, Tintagel Castle and Rocky Valley circular route to spot foxes, deer, woodpeckers and kestrels.
The 11.7km trail is popular so head out early if you want to soak up the scenery all to yourselves.
Post-hike, order a local ale at the refurbished Wellington in the nearby town of Boscastle.
It’s one of the oldest coaching inns in the South West.
Along with an excellent restaurant serving refined pub and coastal classics, there are 14 rooms and three apartments, each decorated in a castle theme.
COPS have found a body in the search for young man who went missing last month.
Wiltshire Police say divers searching for Sebastian Sailes, 21, who vanished after leaving a pub in Chippenham on 27 February, had recovered a body on Tuesday afternoon.
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Wiltshire Police have confirmed that divers searching for Sebastian Sailes have recovered a bodyCredit: SWNS
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The 21-year-old was last seen at around 11.30pm on February 27 at Lovers Walk in ChippenhamCredit: Chippenham Police
“This development will of course be devastating for Sebastian’s family,” Wiltshire Police Superintendent James Brain said.
“I would like to offer my sincere condolences, and I know that everyone involved in supporting this operation will also be thinking of Sebastian’s family.
“We will continue to offer our support over the coming days.
CCTV footage then captured the young man heading towards Lovers Walk.
Cops believe Sebastian went south along Avon Valley Walk towards his home address in Notton.
It is then believed he may have walked towards Rowden Hill, said the force.
In a heartbreaking plea, Sebastian’s family previously said: “We are a very close family and are all extremely anxious and praying for the safe return of our much-loved son Sebastian.
“We are unbelievably grateful for the efforts of the police and all the amazing volunteers.
“The public support has been heart-warming, and we appeal to anyone who may have information to contact Wiltshire Police immediately, in the hope that our beautiful boy is returned to us safe and sound.”
County Chief Inspector Ben Huggins said in the latest statement: “We continue to appeal for anyone who may have seen Sebastian or have knowledge of his whereabouts to get in touch.
“Many of our enquiries have taken place around the river but we are also investigating the possibility that he has made his way towards Rowden Hill and through the new estates.”
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Sebastian was last seen leaving the Black Horse Pub in Chippenham on February 27Credit: Chippenham Police
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The disappearance sparked a major search operationCredit: Wiltshire Search and Rescue
A PRIMARY school is being evacuated following reports of a bomb threat which sparked a police response.
Officers raced to Badbury Park Primary School in Swindon, Wiltshire, at around 2.30pm today amid reports of the alleged hazard.
Local residents say police told them a bomb threat had been made, while the school has been evacuated as emergency services work to establish if it is a hoax.
Nearby homes have also been evacuated, with several roads cordoned off by officers guarding the area.
The school also confirmed its evacuation in a post on Facebook today, prompting parents to race to the site to collect their children.
It said: “School is being evacuated so please collect children from Biddestone Ave on corner on Belcombe close.
“Please collect children who walk from home.
“Further info to follow. We are all ok”.
Reports indicates there are more than 15 police vehicles at the scene.
Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service and South Western Ambulance Service both have senior officers as well as commanders on the ground.
More to follow… For the latest news on this story keep checking back at The Sun Online
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Now the mum-of-two has found love again with a fellow skydiving enthusiast – Simon Goodman.
She tied the knot with the former Royal Marine last weekend, according to MailOnline.
Victoria also reportedly met him at the same Wiltshire parachute club where Emile devised the murder plot.
A friend told the news outlet: “It was a close-knit occasion, just very fun and no fuss.
“Vicki has been through so much. She deserves this happiness more than anyone I know.”
Serial love rat Army sergeant Emile tried to kill Victoria to cash in on a £120,000 life insurance so he could clear mounting debts and start a new life with his Tinder lover.
It emerged he had also previously tampered with a gas valve at their home in Amesbury, Wiltshire, days before her parachute plunge.
Originally from South Africa, Emile moved to the UK in the early Noughties.
How Emile Cilliers exposed guilt at attempting to kill wife in botched parachute plot with three tell-tale signs
He met second wife Victoria, an Army physiotherapist, in 2009 while getting help with his knee at the treatment centre where she worked.
They married two years later in Cape Town. They have kids April, 13, and Ben, nine.
Emile owed money to payday loan lenders, former work colleagues and Victoria.
Victoria had leant him £19,000 and after helping himself to £6,000 from her savings account, Emile claimed her account had been hacked.
Flirted with interrogator
THE female detective who arrested Emile revealed how he tried to to flirt with her during his police interview, in an exclusive chat with The Sun.
A FEMALE detective has told how Emile brazenly tried to come on to her while she interrogated him during his police interview.
DS Maddy Hennah, from Wiltshire Police, told The Sun: “He was thinking he could win me over, but didn’t realise who he was talking to.
“As a police officer, you understand when somebody is trying to win you round to their advantage.
“I’m there to do a job. If he thinks I’m going to be won over by a wry smile he’s barking up the wrong tree. He realised that quite quickly.”
After his behaviour turned sinister, she was told by her boss that she should never be alone with him.
Yet the detective recalled: “His bail conditions included having no contact with his wife, but he had the children’s car seats in his car so I had to collect them from him.
“It wasn’t what he said, but the way he spoke to me. He gave me goosebumps and I didn’t like it.
“It’s not often in life that men make you feel that. I have been there, seen it, done it. He did make me uncomfortable.”
However, the bank traced the IP address used in the transaction back to the family’s home computer.
Such was her concern about her husband’s over-spending, she cut him out of her will in 2014, leaving all her money to their two children April and Ben.
Victoria became concerned when her once attentive and charming husband became cold and distant.
Desperately trying to salvage the marriage, she sent him numerous texts and emails when he was away.
In one message she wrote: “I feel like a failure as a wife.”
Victoria was given hope their relationship was improving when her husband bought her the 2015 jump at Netheravon airfield as a gift.
But while in the air the experienced skydiver, who has completed more than 2,500 jumps, immediately knew something was wrong.
Her parachute failed to open and she plummeted 4,000ft, landing in a soft, recently ploughed field.
It later emerged her husband had tampered with the parachute.
But one person was NOT surprised by the actions of callous Cilliers, 44, who was jailed for life in 2018 — his ex-partner Nicolene Shepherd. She has exclusively told The Sun: “I didn’t want to believe it, but I did.”
Nicolene, 40, mother to two of his six kids by three different women, said: “I don’t suppose you ever want to believe that somebody who you have children with could be capable of something like that.
“But then I have always thought he had a different side to him.”
Cilliers’ first trial collapsed when a jury failed to reach a verdict.
But after a retrial in May 2018 he was found guilty of two counts of attempted murder.
Police were called to investigate Victoria’s skydive after an inspection of her kit by experts revealed two crucial loops, known as slinks, which attach lines to the harness from a reserve chute, were missing.
Victoria later told officers how, before her jump, her husband had taken her packed parachute into the hangar’s toilets.
Detectives had to break news of his infidelities to Victoria.
At first, she refused to believe them. But in a forensic examination of Cilliers’ electronic devices, detectives found tens of thousands of messages between him and Tinder lover Stefanie Goller.
In one, he asked his lover to clean her house in the nude while his wife was in hospital.
His internet search history revealed he had looked for a “wet nurse” the night before Victoria was due to jump. Their son was five weeks old at the time and breastfed by her.
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Emile was having an affair with Stefanie Goller who he met on TinderCredit: Enterprise
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They had a rocky relationship even before Emile tried to kill his wifeCredit: Enterprise
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Emile told Victoria he wasn’t sure if he wanted to be in the marriage before he tried to kill her
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Victoria suffered serious injuries in the parachute fall and was left in a back braceCredit: Pixel8000
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Emile was found guilty of attempting to murder his wife VictoriaCredit: PA:Press Association
