Investigation after woman raped in Bournemouth town centre

The victim has been subjected to a horrific ordeal and is being supported by specially-trained officers.

I am appealing to anyone who was in the area of Central Gardens around the time of the incident and witnessed any suspicious activity or a man matching the description given to please contact us.

“I appreciate this incident may cause some concern for members of the public. I would like to reassure them that a full investigation is underway to identify the man responsible.

“While we do not want to cause any undue alarm, and incidents of this nature are thankfully rare, we would urge people to remain vigilant when heading to work in the early hours of the morning.

“There will be an increased police presence in the area as we carry out enquiries and local officers can be approached with any concerns.”