Police have released this image in the hope it will track down an attacker who stabbed a woman in the back as she walked along a riverside.

The victim, believed to be in her 30s, was taken to hospital for two wounds to her back after she was stalked along the River Medway's banks at East Farleigh.

Her boyfriend told KentOnline she screamed at the top of her voice during the ordeal, in which she was stabbed three times - but one missed and pierced her handbag.

He said: "She was walking back to East Farleigh from Maidstone along the riverside. She was stalked all the way back by a man about the age of 19.

"He acted quite strangely. He was on his phone a lot and kept walking up behind her and then he would use excuses for her to pass him again. He would take stones out of his shoe.

"When she passed him the third time she knew something was wrong. He disappeared and then walked close to her. When he was near he ran at her and stabbed her three times but the third one went through her handbag.

"He had his hand on her shoulder whilst he did this. When he stabbed her she screamed so loudly she believed that scared him off. It happened very close to the lock."

Emergency services were called after it happened between 4.30pm and 5.30pm on Tuesday, September 9.

One ambulance and a support car were sent to the scene and treated the patient.

She was then taken to King's College Hospital in London for further treatment - although her injuries are not thought to be serious.

A teenager was arrested after the stabbing.

The 18-year-old, from West Malling, was held over the attack close to Station Hill.

He has been released on bail until Tuesday, September 30 while police investigate.