POLICE are following up new leads in the hunt for a vicious rapist after questioning hundreds of people close to the scene of the attack.

A road block was put in place exactly a week after an 18-year-old woman was attacked at her home in Blackburn Road, Great Harwood.

Det Insp Neil Hunter said that 240 vehicles were stopped during the operation, between 8pm and 10pm on Saturday, and questionnaires were completed by drivers and their passengers.

Pedestrians were also stopped and six new pieces of information were highlighted as a result of the exercise.

Det Insp Hunter said he wished to thank members of the public for their co-operation and willingness to help with the inquiry.

The victim was assaulted in her home at 9pm after she had walked home from work in the town.

The man attacked her when she answered the front door of her house and forced his way into the property.

He was described as white, in his 30s, with a tanned complexion and a "number two" shaved haircut, between 5ft 7in and 5ft 10in and wearing a white baseball cap, a black jacket with the word Umbro on the back and dark blue jeans. Police said a couple walking home had seen a man walking just behind the victim.

They said they wanted to speak to him to eliminate him from their inquiries or see if he could help with any further information on the attack.

Det Insp Neil Hunter said the man they wished to trace in Great Harwood had been wearing a jacket similar to that described by the victim as worn by her attacker.