Police have urged women not to panic after a sex attacker struck in the centre of Brighton.

Detectives were last night waiting to interview a woman who was dragged into bushes and sexually assaulted on Saturday night.

They described the attack as a serious sexual assault but officers are still waiting to determine if she had been raped.

The woman, 23, was walking through the Old Steine to catch a bus home on Saturday at 10.15pm.

She was close to the Old Steine fountain when she was approached by a man who grabbed her arms and dragged her to a grassy area near bushes.

After the attack he ran off towards Pool Valley.

The woman contacted friends who raised the alarm.

She was later taken to a Sussex Police victim suite where she received treatment for minor injuries.

Detective Inspector Jane Tilsey said: "We should always take sensible steps when out alone but I believe this was a one-off attack.

"The public can be reassured that such incidents are extremely rare."

Ms Tilsey urged any witnesses to come forward.

She said: "Passers-by seeing a man pulling a woman by her hands may have given the impression it was a lover's tiff.

"Sadly, this was an extremely serious attack, which has left the victim deeply distressed.

"That is a busy area of the city and we urgently need to speak to motorists or pedestrians who saw anything suspicious."

The offender is white, 35, muscular with short, dark, spiky hair. Witnesses should call Brighton and Hove CID on 0845 6070999.