POLICE have renewed their appeal for information following the serious sexual assault of a 12-year-old girl in Haverhill at the end of last month.

The girl and her friend were grabbed from behind by a man, on the old railway walk, at about 1.50pm, on Thursday, July 24.

One of the girls escaped but the 12-year-old was pulled into the bushes and seriously sexually assaulted.

Acting Det Insp Trevor Prior, of Suffolk police’s major investigation team, said: “Last week we appealed for several people, that the two girls saw as they walked along the path that afternoon, to come forward.

“I’d like to thank the media for their assistance with this appeal as we have now spoken to the woman walking her dog and the female with a baby buggy.

“However, we still need to trace some other people the girls passed.”

The two girls were walking along the old railway line after visiting the town centre when they passed a man sitting on a bench near Dove House Road, at about 1.50pm on July 24.

They carried on towards Arrendene Road and as they approached the bridge near Water’s Edge the man walked past them heading towards the town centre.

Moments later both girls were grabbed from behind.

One managed to free herself and alerted police, the other was pulled into bushes and was seriously sexually assaulted.

She managed to push the man away and he ran off towards the newly-built flats.

The attacker is described as a white man, in his 20s or 30s, 6ft tall, of slim-to-medium build with short dark hair.

He was wearing sunglasses, blue jeans, a white t-shirt and trainers.

A week after the assault police spoke to nearly 100 people which helped officers open a number of lines of inquiry.

Police would still like to speak to the following six people, who the girls said they passed on the old railway line that day:

n Two children: A boy riding a red bike and a girl on a pink bike with stabilisers. They were with a woman with brown, straight shoulder-length hair, of slim build, who was possibly also on a bike.

n Three teenage boys aged about 14 or 15, who were casually dressed in jeans and trainers. One of these boys had spiky brown hair and was wearing a dark blue hooded top.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Haverhill Police on 01284 774100, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.