Two women who could be key witnesses in a rape case are being urged to contact police.

And a CCTV image of the pair has been released in the hope someone can identify them.

During the early hours of February 2 a woman in her 40s from Colchester was raped in a garden off London Road in Marks Tey.

After examining CCTV footage from that night Essex Police believe the two women in the CCTV image could be key witnesses and may have talked to the victim earlier.

The footage is from 2.30am on February 2. One woman is described as having blonde hair and is carrying a pink handbag while the other woman has dark hair and is wearing a blue dress.

The two women in the CCTV image or anyone who knows them is urged to contact detectives at Colchester’s sexual offences investigation team on 101.

A 28-year-old man from the Clacton area was arrested at his home address on February 11 on suspicion of rape and is currently on police bail until May 13 pending further enquiries.