A TEENAGE girl was threatened with a knife, forced into a car and driven to a nearby alleyway before being sexually assaulted in an Essex town.

Roddy Ashworth

A TEENAGE girl was threatened with a knife, forced into a car and driven to a nearby alleyway before being sexually assaulted in an Essex town.

Now detectives are appealing for the public's help in piecing together the route taken by the young woman before the assault in Wivenhoe on Sunday.

Police received a call just after 4.20pm from the 16-year-old who said she had been assaulted in an alleyway between Broome Grove and Vanessa Drive.

In the minutes leading up to the assault she was stopped while walking along The Cross by a man in a dark coloured car.

The car pulled in front of the doctor's surgery and the driver asked her for directions.

As she was walking away from the car her assailant grabbed her by the wrist, threatened her with a knife and demanded she get in the vehicle.

The young woman got in the front passenger side and the man drove off. Near the alleyway she was dragged from the car and then assaulted.

Officers are keen to find out the route the car took before it reached the scene of the attack.

The suspect is described as white, aged 40 to 50 years old, 6ft tall, of very big build, with brown and grey hair which was fluffy and messy.

He was wearing jeans and a grey jumper.

The victim is white, with shoulder length dark hair and at the time of the attack was wearing a black t-shirt and white jeans.

Officers are appealing for anyone who may have seen her walking in Wivenhoe, or being stopped by the man, to contact them.

Detective Inspector John Ross said: “This type of incident is very rare and particularly concerning. A detailed investigation has been launched and the public's help is sought.

“We particularly need to establish details of the car used and people will have seen the young woman speaking to the driver through the window while it was across the pavement at the entrance to the doctor's surgery.

“The public will notice an increase in police patrols.

“This has been done in order to increase safety, provide reassurance and conduct local enquiries.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives at Colchester CID on 0300 333 4444.