Police manhunt after woman sexually assaulted while on morning jog

Police launched an emergency manhunt after a woman was pulled to the ground and sexually assaulted during a morning walk.

The victim, aged in his thirties, was running along Iliffe Road in Stowmarket, Suffolk, between 5.45am and 6am on Wednesday when he was approached.

The attacker was described by Suffolk Police as a white male, approximately 5ft 10in tall, of medium build and dark-coloured, wearing a woolly beanie hat.

The man was also wearing a thick, dark rain jacket and dark pants and smelled strongly of cigarettes and marijuana, police said.

Detective Inspector Stuart Dolan-Allen, of Suffolk Police, said: “This was an extremely distressing incident for the woman who was out for her morning run when she was attacked.

“We understand this may be of concern to the local community and would like to reassure the public that we are exploring all avenues of investigation to identify the person responsible.

“The public can expect to see an increased police presence in the area whilst we investigate and I would encourage anyone who regularly visits this area to contact us with any information that may be helpful.

“We know there are dog walkers, commuters and other runners who may have seen anything suspicious during and around the incident and we are appealing for them to come forward. I would also encourage members of the public to contact our officers if they have any concerns.”

The victim is being supported by specialist police officers, according to Suffolk police.

Anyone with information should contact Suffolk police quoting crime reference number: 37/65640/25