Police are hunting a knifeman who sexually assaulted a jogger in West Sussex.

The 33-year-old victim was running past a row of beach huts opposite Marine Park Gardens in Aldwick, Bognor, when she was attacked yesterday afternoon.

A man armed with a knife grabbed her and indecently assaulted her before she managed to struggle free and run away.

Detectives hunting the so-called Thursday Night Rapist will look into whether the latest incident could be linked to Operation Bobcat, the hunt for the serial sex attacker thought to be responsible for 15 sex assaults.

A police spokesman said: "The victim suffered minor injuries and was extremely distressed.

"The Operation Bobcat team will be made aware of this incident today, although at this stage there is no immediate connection."

More than 300 men fitting the description and offender profile of the sex attacker have given voluntary DNA samples as part of Operation Bobcat.

In several cases his victims have said he smelt strongly of drink as well as petrol or diesel fumes.

The jogger has told police her attacker was scruffy and smelt of alcohol.

She said the man was in his late 20s, tall, stockily built and wearing a black hat, blue jeans and a dark sweatshirt.