Police are investigating an allegation of sexual assault after an 18 year old woman reported being attacked on a university campus.

The alleged assault happened as the woman was walking away from a campus nightclub, just off a path at the back of a lecture theatre, at the University of Essex in Colchester at 2am this morning

Police are appealing for any witnesses who may have seen a man in the area.

He is described as in his 20s, dark skinned, about five feet eight inches tall of a medium to muscular build. He has dark, short hair.

A spokesperson for The University of Essex said: “The University of Essex takes the safety and welfare of its students very seriously and will be assisting the police in any way it can to help their investigation.

“Assaults of this nature are extremely rare on campus and the University is generally a safe place to live and study, and we work closely with the police to ensure it remains so.

“However, we would like to remind all students of the importance of looking after their own personal safety.

“The University’s Student Support Service and the Students’ Union are available to provide personal safety advice and support to students.”

Anyone with information about the incident should contact Detective Inspector Steve Jennings or his colleagues at Colchester CID on 0300 333 4444.

Or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.