E-fit of 'brutal' rapist released

The attacker is thought to be in his late teens or early 20s

Detectives investigating the "violent and brutal" rape of a 25-year-old woman in Smethwick have released an image of a man they wish to trace.

The attack took place shortly before 0400 BST on Sunday 14 September in a wooded area of the Thimblemill Recreation Ground, Thimblemill Road, Smethwick.

The victim had been returning home after a night out in Birmingham city centre when she was assaulted outside the Thimblemill Pub and taken to the recreation ground.

Her attacker is described as a black man in his late teens to early 20s, of a slim build, with a distinctive cane row plait hairstyle.

Before the assault, the victim stood talking to a friend for about 20 minutes at the junction of Three Shires Oak Road and Thimblemill Road near to the Abbey Pub.

This was an appalling offence committed in a violent and brutal manner Detective Sergeant Richard Moore

Detectives are also trying to trace several people who saw them there.

They want to talk to a white man in his early 20s with brown hair and wearing a white T-shirt and jeans who was seen eating a bag of chips near to the Abbey Pub, where the victim and her friend had been chatting.

He spoke to them and offered them some of his food.

Officers are also trying to trace to two white men and a white woman who were carrying a fold-up mattress bed and who joked with the victim and her friend.

Police lastly want to talk to two people in a white car that pulled up as the victim was walking between the Abbey Pub and the Thimblemill Pub.

Detective Sergeant Richard Moore said: "This was an appalling offence committed in a violent and brutal manner and the assailant is clearly a danger to women."