UPDATED: An attack on an innocent 14-year-old girl by an unknown man lurking in a residential area of Freshwater has prompted days of searching by both Police and local residents, Island Echo can reveal.
The young teen, who Island Echo are not naming, was attacked at around 21:30 on Sunday 2nd March in the Solent Gardens area when a man, described as middle aged and around 6ft tall, approached the girl and grabbed her. Thankfully the teenager, who was on her own at the time of the attack, managed to stay on her feet and fight the assailant off before rushing to the safety of a friend’s nearby home.
The attack has prompted the girl’s parents to take to Facebook to warn other parents in the area, with the news spreading fast across the social networking website.
The suspect has been spotted numerous times in the area since the attack, with unconfirmed reports that he has approached two other people and entered the property of another, however has escaped capture by both Police and local residents who launched a manhunt on Saturday evening. Locals have reported that the man has been lurking near to the car park area, which is accessed by two narrow lanes.
As reported, a heightened Police presence has been noted by West Wight residents with numerous rumours flying around the village of Freshwater, with many parents and women fearing attack from the unknown man who is understood to be still roaming the streets today.
One Island Echo reader has taken the precaution of collecting his partner from work, while others have said they feel uneasy being out in the area at night now.
It is currently unclear if an area of the High Street near to Lloyds Bank, which was cordoned off by Police on Sunday morning, is related to the ongoing incident.
