A NIGHTCLUBBER suffered an hour-long sex attack by a taxi driver who offered her a lift home after she missed the last bus.

The 33-year-old Rossendale victim was left "petrified and traumatised" by the serious and prolonged sex assault, which occurred after she became separated from her friends.

The victim had been to Teasers club in Deansgate and The Square nightclub in Albert Square, both Manchester, before becoming lost as she walked to the bus station.

She got into a taxi which took her to the stop but the bus had gone and she gave the driver the only money she had left.

He said he would take her back to Rawtenstall, even though she had no money.

He then drove her to a secluded area where he indecently assaulted her and forced her to take part in sex acts.

Detective Sergeant Stuart Barlow said: "The incident lasted for about an hour. She was not raped but it is a serious incident which has left her petrified, traumatised and in an extreme emotional state." After the attack the driver took the woman back to Rawtenstall. She managed to get out in Kay Street only a few yards from the town's police station.

She received help from a pedestrian and the police were alerted.

The victim has described the taxi as a dark saloon similar to a Ford Mondeo with a white triangular, non-luminous taxi sign on the roof.

The driver was described as Asian, 24-30 years, 5ft 8-10ins tall, stocky, with a shaven head and clean shaven face. She described him as having a fat nose and round face. He was wearing a T-shirt with vertical stripes, light coloured jeans and a pair of dark and light sandals with Velcro fasteners and a beige baseball cap with the Nike tick at the front.

Mr Barlow said: "We are appealing for anyone who saw the taxi in Rawtenstall at about 3.10am on Sunday morning or who saw a distressed woman in the street to contact us."

Rossendale police are working with colleagues in Greater Manchester who are carrying out inquiries among taxi firms. Anyone with information is asked to contact Mr Barlow at Rossendale CID on 01282 425001.

Mr Barlow advised women going out late to arrange a lift home or book a taxi and then to check that the vehicle that arrived was the one ordered.

He said there had been a number of cases of women travelling between towns at night-time who had been assaulted or asked to provide sexual services instead of paying the fare. Mr Barlow urged clubbers and other people out at night to keep the number of a reliable firm handy and to avoid minicabs or private hire cars touting for business; to always sit behind the driver and if in any doubt not to get into the vehicle.