A SEX attacker who raped a woman and tried to assault another is believed to have struck for the third time after a young victim was pounced on as she walked home from a night out.

Police have issued an appeal for witnesses after the 22-year-old managed to fight off her attacker in the Padiham Road area of Burnley on Friday.

And people now fear for local women's safety after the incident, the third sex attack in the area in just over a month.

Detective Inspector Colin Barton said the description of the attacker resembled a man police were hunting for the brutal rape of a teenager in an alleyway near to the Manor Barn pub, Padiham Road, on April 24 and an attack on a 39-year-old woman, who fought off a man as she walked on Padiham Road near to Anglesey Avenue on May 15.

The latest victim had been out in local pubs and was walking home alone on Padiham Road toward the Tim Bobbin pub from the direction of the M65 Gannow Top roundabout at 11.50pm on Friday.

As she walked near to William Hill Bookmakers, near Claremont Street, she saw a man who appeared to be waiting for someone.

Mr Barton said: "He ran out and grabbed her arm and he pulled her towards him.

"She managed to fight off the attacker and he may have received an injury to the left hand side of his face."

The attacker was white, aged 24 to 30, 5ft 7ins to 9ins, medium build, with a black crew cut which could be a skinhead growing back, black jeans, a dark jumper and a dark waist-length thin cotton jacket.

As the woman ran away, a black Mercedes car had to brake sharply to avoid her and police are appealing for the driver to come forward. The woman also spotted a group of five lads further along Padiham Road towards Padiham and they looked as though they had been to a birthday party and had a helium filled balloon possibly with 18 written on. Police are urging them to come forward.

The landlord of the pub near to the latest attack has spoken of the fear of local women.

Les and Margaret Meadowcroft have run the Tim Bobbin, Padiham Road, Burnley, for eight-and-a-half years.

Mr Meadowcroft said: "Police were asking if we had seen anyone because he ran away down the side of the pub, but the description doesn't match anyone that I know who drinks here.

"My staff have been a bit frightened and I am looking to start getting taxis for my staff so they do not walk home after closing.

"I gave the police the film from the pub security camera which covers the back car park in case he ran round there."

Mr Meadowcroft said his pub usually attracted couples, but he urged any women out drinking in the area to get a taxi home and not walk risk on their own.

He said: "Women should be able to walk home alone, but unfortunately in this day and age it seems they can't.

"A lot of people are very shocked by what has been happening, I just hope the police appeals manage to catch him."

He said: "We still want to talk to anyone who knows about someone living rough in that area because we have had evidence that someone had been sleeping under the pass at Gannow earlier last week. Burnley police can be contacted on 01282 425001.

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