Schoolgirl raped on way home

Police are hunting a man who raped a 15-year-old girl as she walked home from school.

The girl was grabbed from behind and dragged into woodland in Eastbourne where she was sexually assaulted and raped.

Officers have described the offence as "an horrific attack" and appealed for anyone with information about it to come forward.

The teenager was making her way home from school in the Hampden Park area of Eastbourne at about 1530 BST on Wednesday when she was attacked.

This was a horrific attack which understandably has left the victim very distressed

DI Martin Sapwell, Sussex Police

Sussex Police said she was walking through a public area of the park along a path through an area of dense woodland when she was grabbed by the man.

He threw a blue jumper over her head and pulled her off the path into the woods.

The man fled from the scene having stolen his victim's mobile phone, a Nokia 8310 with a red face.

Detective Inspector Martin Sapwell said: "This was an horrific attack which understandably has left the victim very distressed.

"This happened in broad daylight and we are sure there must have been someone who was in Hampden Park at the time who saw something.

"We are appealing for witnesses to come forward so we can deal with this as a matter of urgency so we can catch the person responsible."