A man has been arrested on suspicion of rape after a woman was attacked in woods after a night out.

The 43-year-old victim told police she was raped near a playground in Burgess Hill in the early hours of Saturday morning.

On Saturday night a 21-year-old man from Burgess Hill handed himself into police, questioned on suspicion of the rape and later released on bail until 31 March.

Detective Inspector Rob Walker said: "We have questioned a suspect and are not looking for anyone else at this stage. This matter does not appear to link to any other incident or individual.”

The woman told police she was waiting for a taxi outside Burgess Hill Library at around 2am on Saturday morning when she was approached by a man.

They started talking and he offered to walk her home and they set off along Lower Church Road.

When they got to Marle Place in Leylands Road the man attacked and raped her in a wooded area by the playground.

Afterwards the man left and the victim went home and raised the alarm, at around 3.15am.

DI Walker said: "The victim has cuts and bruises and is understandably very shaken by what has happened to her.

"We need to speak to anyone who was in the area between Civic Way and Leylands Road in the early hours of this morning and could have seen the man and victim.

"We are particular keen to find people who saw or heard anything suspicious near Marle Place between 2.30-3.20am.

"There is no suggestion at this stage that this is linked to any other incident, but we need to find the man responsible urgently."

The suspect was described as white, 23-25-years-old, of chubby build, 5ft7-5ft9, with short brown hair, clean shaven and a wearing a dark blue hoodie.

Anyone with information should call police on 101 quoting Operation Chef or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.