Police have revealed a woman who suffered a sex attack in Canterbury at the weekend was in her 50s and had got separated from a relative.

It happened in a car park near Hawk's Lane in the city centre on Saturday night.

She was said to have been pounced on in a car park near Hawk's Lane in the city centre on Saturday night.

Police have launched an appeal to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident, which happened some time after 10.35pm.

Officers were called an hour later, and spent the next few days scouring the area and making enquiries in "a number of locations".

The victim described her attacker as a white man, around 5ft 7ins tall, and aged around 30.

He was clean shaven with short or balding hair and was wearing grey trousers and a white shirt.

DCI Emma Banks from Canterbury police station said: "Kent Police takes all reports of sexual assault or abuse very seriously and we have a duty to investigate.

"We have officers specially-trained to deal with sensitive and difficult investigations such as this.

"The victim reported she was in town with a member of her family and they had become separated.

"The victim went looking for them and encountered the male who she said sexually assaulted her in a car park.

"Our enquiries are now centering on a car park in the Hawk’s Lane area.

"CCTV from the area is being reviewed and enquiries are ongoing to trace the offender."

Police yesterday said the attack was thought to have happened in nearby Orange Street.

Anyone who was in the city centre on Saturday night who has information is asked to call police on 01227 868327 quoting crime reference number ZY/21477/14.