AN E-fit image of a man sought by police in connection with the serious sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl has today been released.

Laurence Cawley

AN E-fit image of a man sought by police in connection with the serious sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl has been released today.

The incident happened last Thursday in Haverhill when the girl was walking with a friend, also aged 12, along the old railway line after visiting the town centre.

At about 1.50pm they passed a man sitting on a bench near Dove House Road. They continued to walk towards Arrendene Road, and as they approached the bridge near Water's Edge the man walked past them heading towards the town centre. Moments later both girls were grabbed from behind - one managed to free herself and alerted police, the other was pulled into bushes and was seriously sexually assaulted. She pushed the man away and he ran off towards the newly-built flats.

The attacker was white, in his 20s or 30s, with short dark hair and sunglasses, blue jeans, a white tee-shirt and trainers.

Det Insp Martin Wright, leading the investigation, said: “Officers have carried out house to house inquiries in the area, and will be identifying and viewing any CCTV from the girls' route into town and back again. Both girls have been spoken to and are receiving any help they may need after this frightening ordeal.

“I want to hear from anyone who was using the old railway line between Wratting Road and Arrendene Road between 1pm and 2.30pm on Thursday afternoon. It is a popular route into the town centre from the north of Haverhill, so several people may have passed the girls or the offender. Even if you were walking or cycling along the line and don't think you saw anything, please come forward - you can help piece together what happened on Thursday afternoon.”

Anyone with any information about this incident should call police on 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.