DETECTIVES hope bite marks left on the hand of a sex attacker will help in the hunt to catch him.

The pervert's attempts to indecently assault a 21-year-old woman walking home alone were foiled when she managed to put up a struggle which left her attacker wincing in pain.

Police are now appealing to anyone who notices unexplained bite marks on a man fitting their description to report it to them.

The woman was walking home along a footpath linking Sherwood Avenue with the Daisybank Estate in Abingdon on Saturday night (Apr 4) when the man jumped out at her from some nearby bushes.

Despite being punched in the stomach, the woman desperately managed to fight her attacker off before running to call for help.

It is the third attempted sex attack in the town in the last two months. Police are keeping an open mind on whether this latest attack is linked to at least one of the others.

Det Con Tony Barsby, leading the hunt for the attacker, said he "should have quite a nasty bite injury". He added: "Obviously we would like to hear from anyone who noticed an acquaintance, friend or even relative with such an injury.

"For while it may turn out to be nothing sinister, it is always better to be safe than sorry and we are very anxious to apprehend this man."

Police praised the woman for her bravery. Despite being shaken up by the incident, the victim, who was walking home from a friend's house at the time, has been able to provide detectives with a description of her attacker.

The attacker is white, 5ft 6in tall, with a stocky build, and had a soft dark beard or moustache, with dark brown hair and a rounded face.

The victim believes he had green eyes and a noticeable accent, which was possibly Scottish or Irish.

Det Con Barsby said the path where the attack happened is well used by members of the public and believes there may have been people who saw a man acting suspiciously.

Another sex attacker in Abingdon was foiled by his victim on February 4, after being kicked in the groin. That attack took place near the Waitrose store in Abbey Close.

And a 12-year-old girl on her way to school was dragged into a clump of trees near Stanford Drive last month before being indecently assaulted.

Anyone with information on the latest attack, which happened at about 10.30pm, is urged to call Abingdon CID on 01235 776645.

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