was the victim of a serious sexual assault as she jogged along the Railway Trail.

The bicycle riding man struck in broad daylight as the woman, said to be in her 20s, was running on the Railway Trail near Camp Hill, Southampton around 4 p.m.

She was stopped, sexually assaulted and robbed before her attacker fled west on his dark-coloured BMX pedal cycle.

The attacker was described as a dark-skinned black man in his late teens or early 20s, between five feet eight inches and five feet ten inches tall, of slim build and clean-shaven.

He was wearing a white T-shirt decorated with a dark logo, dark three-quarter length jean-style pants, socks and sneakers.

Tourism David Dodwell said he was "saddened, shocked and disturbed'' by the "totally reprehensible'' attack.

And he added: "I would call on this community to assist in any way it can to help catch whoever did this.

"I would urge anyone with information which could help to catch him to come forward immediately.'' A Police spokeswoman asked for anyone who was in the area at the time of the attack or who can assist Police to contact Somerset CID on 234-0428.