A young woman was raped in bushes near a children's play area as she walked through Oxford, police said last night.

The attack happened just yards from Cowley Police Station as the 19-year-old walked along Between Towns Road on Saturday evening.

After the rape, the attacker marched his victim - possibly at knifepoint - to a nearby cash machine where he tried to make her withdraw money.

But she managed to raise the alarm by alerting door staff at The William Morris Wetherspoons pub.

Police said the woman was grabbed as she walked past the Murco petrol station, opposite Templars Square Shopping Centre, at about 8.30pm.

They said he then raped her in the park between the John Allen Centre and Cleveland Drive.

Police forensic teams and investigators sealed off the area and were last night still searching the scene.

Pub manager Richard Moody said: "A woman came running across. She came in and spoke to the door staff. The guy who was on the door obviously pulled her inside.

"The guy who she accused rode past on his bike. The doorman tried taking photos of him. We kept her in the pub until the police got here. She was quite shaken. She looked like she'd been crying.

"The door staff went looking for the guy but couldn't find him.

"The girl was in here for about 10 minutes before the police came. The door staff were trying to calm her down. She said she'd been threatened with a knife."

Residents near the park last night spoke of their shock at the attack.

Lucas Cymborski, from Cleveland Drive, said: "We saw the police at about 9am but nothing else. We didn't know what had happened."

Barman Tom Thresher, 21, also of Cleveland Drive, said: "I saw the police when I was coming home in a taxi about 5.30am. I didn't really realise what was going on.

"It's not a great park, I wouldn't feel safe walking through there on my own if I was a woman. I'm quite shocked."

Grace Richards, 71, said: "Usually I think nothing of walking through the park. My next-door neighbours asked me if I knew anything about it but none of us did."

The attacker is described as about 6ft tall, wearing a dark jumper with multi-coloured horizontal stripes and a baseball cap. He was said to be aged 16 or 17 and riding a silver bicycle.

Police spokesman Claire Gourlay said police were still trying to confirm whether he had a knife.

Det Sgt Russell Simpson said: "We are keen to speak to anyone who saw or heard anything.

"There were two young Asian men near the park at the time that saw the silver bike on the pavement, they may have information to help us with our enquiries. I urge them to come forward.

"There was also a man, aged in his 60s, who was outside the kebab shop who could have seen the offender cycle away."

Call police on 08458 505505 or speak to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

  • A youth has been arrested on suspicion of rape and robbery and was last night in police custody.