MOTORISTS may hold the key to tracing a rapist who attacked in 18-year-old girl on a cycle path.

The victim was walking home when she was attacked by a man off Haslett Avenue East in Three Bridges at about 11pm on Saturday night.

The man raped her on the path, which meets the main road between Sutherland House and the BMW dealership, and then left.

The victim was found staggering along Haslett Avenue East by a member of the public shortly before 11.30pm on Saturday.

Detectives are trying to trace anyone who was travelling along the same road on Saturday evening in case they saw the attacker or his victim.

Detective Inspector Paddy Mayers said: "The victim was wearing a white cardigan and grey tracksuit bottoms and I'm keen to speak to anyone who drove along Haslett Avenue East and could have seen her.

"We believe the man befriended her briefly and then persuaded her to step off the main road onto the cyclepath and it was here that he raped her.

"We do not know which direction he was going in before he met the victim or where he went to after the attack but drivers may have seen him walking along Haslett Avenue East or talking to the woman.

"A number of people have contacted us but we still need more help. If you have any information at all, please contact us."

Anyone with information should email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk quoting Operation Bowler, call 101 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.