A 20-year-old woman has been sexually assaulted in the Seven Dials area of Brighton.
The victim managed to fight off her attacker and run to a friend’s house near by.
The attack happened at about 11.10pm on Wednesday (6 April) when the woman was heading home along Leopold Road.
The attacker grabbed the woman across the chest from behind.
She kicked her attacker in the shin and escaped but did not get a good view of the attacker.
PC Andrew Dunkling said: “The victim has been left visibly shaken by the attack and we are offering our support.
“Neighbourhood officers are conducting house-to-house inquiries and viewing CCTV to gather evidence.
“It is possible the victim may have been followed and I am appealing to anyone who noticed someone behaving suspiciously to contact police immediately.”
The victim had walked from the Hobgoblin pub in London Road, along Cheapside, into Trafalgar Street and past Brighton Station before being attacked in Leopold Road.
Anyone with information is asked to contact Sussex Police on 0845 6070999 or to call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.