DETECTIVES hunting the Padiham Road rapist say there has been another attack on a young woman in the same area of Burnley.

The latest incident involved an 18-year-old girl walking on Wellfield Drive at around 9.30pm on Friday evening who was attacked by a hooded man as she turned up a ginnel.

He ran toward her, grabbed her shoulder and she fell to the ground. But the man fled when the woman screamed.

The incident was the latest in a series of attacks in recent months following the rape of a teenager near the Manor Barn pub on April 24.

In the latest case, the teenager had twice noticed a man with a thigh-length jacket with the hood partially covering his face as she walked home from an evening job along Woodbine Road, Padiham Road, Ightenhill Park Lane, Ighten Road and Parkwood Avenue.

Detective Inspector Simon Leach said the girl was not injured and there was no clear motive for the attack.

He said the man's face was partially covered by the hood but he was in his late teens to early 20s, about 5ft 8ins tall, slim and wore a plain coloured, dark jacket, dark trousers and possibly light coloured trainers.

Det Insp Leach said people should be aware of the situation but there was no need for alarm.

He called on anyone with information to contact the police in confidence.

He added that police patrols in the area would be stepped up.

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