POLICE have warned people to be vigilant with home security at night after a woman awoke in the early hours to find she was being indecently assaulted by an intruder in her bedroom.

By Roddy Ashworth

POLICE have warned people to be vigilant with home security at night after a woman awoke in the early hours to find she was being indecently assaulted by an intruder in her bedroom.

The 59-year-old woman was disturbed as she slept alone in her Witham home – suddenly finding the man kneeling by her bed.

It is thought her assailant got in through an unlocked patio door on the ground floor of the property and then crept upstairs to her bedroom.

When the woman awoke the man ran back down the stairs, through the door and then down the driveway of the house.

Yesterday , detectives were conducting house-to-house interviews in streets near where the woman lived to try and find anybody who saw the man either before or after the assault.

Scenes of crime officers were also conducting a forensic examination of the woman's house to try and find evidence that might lead them to her attacker.

The victim was being looked after by friends and family nearby and was said be in shock after the incident.

Her assailant was described as either white or dark-skinned, between 5ft 5ins and 5ft 11ins tall and in his 20s or 30s. He had closely cropped hair.

Police said he was seen running away from the house at about 3.30am on Saturday morning and are now appealing for anybody who believes they may have witnessed the man running away to contact them.

A police spokesman said: "We understand that the current warm climate may warrant windows to be kept ajar overnight but people should be sensible and take precautions to avoid falling prey to opportunist burglars.

"The feeling of knowing a stranger could be in your house while you sleep is not a comforting thought."

The spokesman added that no items were removed from the woman's house during Saturday morning's incident.