WITNESSES were being sought today after a teenage girl was the victim of a sex attack in a Suffolk town.

Richard Cornwell

WITNESSES were being sought today after a teenage girl was the victim of a sex attack in Suffolk.

Police found the 17-year-old in a distressed state being looked after by two other girls.

She told the officers she had been sexually assaulted by a man who had followed her.

The incident happened near the Denmark Road-Katwijk Way junction in Lowestoft between 12.30am and 1.30am today.

“She said she had been walking from Lowestoft High Street through the town centre when she was joined by a man who started to talk to her,” said a police spokeswoman.

“She told him to go away but the man continued to follow her.”

The teenager walked down London Road North past the railway station into Denmark Road, crossed Katwijk Way and was near the traffic lights, on the path leading to Tonning Street, when she was grabbed, pushed against a wall and assaulted.

It's thought the man may have been disturbed by a passing car - he let her go and walked off.

The attacker is described as a white man, with large hands, wearing blue jeans and smelled of alcohol and aftershave.

Police cordoned off the area while an examination of the scene was made.

CCTV footage is also being examined and house to house enquiries are being carried out.

Officers would like to hear from anyone who was in town centre who may have seen the girl walking along, and also anyone walking or driving along Denmark Road or Katwijk Way, regardless of whether they think they may have seen anything of use.

People should call Lowestoft CID on 01986 835300.