Police have launched an investigation after a young woman was gang-raped by a group of men.

The 20-year-old careworker was described by detectives as "very traumatised". The woman, who had spent the evening in a Hastings pub, was held down by two men while the third raped her.

Police said they were not certain how many of the men raped her before they ran off when the alarm was raised. The Argus understands police believe the attackers were refugees.

Det Sgt Lorraine Clarke, of Hastings CID, who is heading the inquiry, said: "The girl had been to the Admiral Benbow Arms pub to meet a male friend. The girl left the pub and went back to the man's home near Warrior Square.

"It was just after pub closing time at 11.10pm on Friday when the girl left the friend's house to walk the half-hour trek home. She then walked down towards the middle area of the square, which is landscaped and surrounded by trees and bushes.

"It was there she saw three men in their 20s, of Eastern European descent and speaking a foreign language. She walked past them and they grabbed hold of her on the pavement near the entrance to the wooded area and raped her.

"It is unclear how many of them raped her. It was very unfortunate but the CCTV camera in that area captured the woman walking near the suspects. But then it pre-set to film something else and so the attack was not recorded."

The woman was raped on the pavement of the square, which is home to several hostels and hotels housing refugees from Albania and Kosovo. The area is a notorious crime spot in the town.

Detectives are urging a man who made an anonymous phone call from a seafront telephone box to alert them of the attack to come forward. Officers arrived within five minutes, but the men had fled, leaving the woman lying face down on the pavement.

Det Sgt Clarke said: "The girl is very distressed and traumatised. It was a terrible ordeal for her. We don't understand why no one has come forward with information as the area was well lit and is often used as a go-between on the route from the pubs to the kebab shop nearby."

Detectives immediately launched a house-to-house search. They also want to trace the driver and passengers of a gold RollsRoyce that circled the square at the time of the attack.

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