Manchester City TV presenter Natalie Pike has described an eight-month stalking ordeal that ended with a conviction and a restraining order.

The former BBC Radio Manchester presenter said the man was arrested after she recognised him while broadcasting at the Etihad Stadium before Manchester City played Newcastle United in February.

Ms Pike said she was on a spa day when her hairdresser called to say two men had come in trying to find her home address in Cheshire. She later identified one of them from Instagram messages.

A week later she saw him again while on the pitch at the Etihad. He was arrested the following day.

On 25 September he was convicted of stalking involving serious alarm or distress. He received a 12-month prison sentence suspended for 18 months, a restraining order, rehabilitation activity and 100 hours of community service. The BBC has agreed to Ms Pike's request not to name him.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, she said: "It has been terrifying for the last eight months not knowing what is happening or what he might do, for my safety but also my son's safety."

She said the ordeal caused extreme anxiety for her family, forced her to change her car registration plate, and led her to vary the routes she took home. She also said she no longer feels safe in public places at football matches.

Ms Pike has spoken publicly to encourage others experiencing stalking to seek help.

Sources: the BBC; Natalie Pike; the Manchester Evening News. This article was produced with the help of AI tools and checked against the sources above.