POLICE are studying CCTV footage after a vicious and unprovoked attack on a young woman near a village railway station.

College worker Lauren Heaver was punched in the face as she walked out of Higham Station, near Rochester, at around 10.20pm on Sunday, October 21.

The 21-year-old fell to the floor as her attacker ran away laughing.

Miss Heaver, of St John’s Road, Higham, sustained severe cuts and bruising in the assault.

She said: “I remember he was wearing a suit. He was making a weird noise and was smacking his lips. He then punched me in the face and ran off.”

She said: “There was a camera on the platform which would have shown his face. Another one was outside the station which would have shown the attack. I reported the incident to North Kent Police straight away and told British Transport Police the following day. CCTV is there for public security. It’s ridiculous it has not been viewed yet. Now he might get away with his bit of sick fun.”

British Transport Police said the case was handed over to them from North Kent Police a week after the incident.

A spokesman for BTP said they had only taken over the case on Wednesday case this week.

He added: "The investigating officer is off and so has been unable to view the tape. Unfortunately this is sometimes the way cases happen.”

Miss Heaver, who works at North West Kent College in Dartford, added: "There are so many young girls who walk home at night. It has frightened me. I am now constantly looking over my shoulder."

A North Kent Police spokesman confirmed it began an investigation but was subsequently transferred to the BTP.