A YOUNG mother was grabbed from behind and sexually assaulted as she took her child for a walk in Upwood at the weekend. The 26-year-old was pushing her one-year-old son in his buggy along Upwood Road. She had been walking towards Upwood and away from Bur

A YOUNG mother was grabbed from behind and sexually assaulted as she took her child for a walk in Upwood at the weekend.

The 26-year-old was pushing her one-year-old son in his buggy along Upwood Road. She had been walking towards Upwood and away from Bury village, near Ramsey, when she was approached from behind.

Cambridgeshire police said the man put his hands over her mouth, pushed her into some bushes and assaulted her.

The victim managed to scream and the man ran off in the direction of Bury.

The woman suffered slight injuries, but was left shocked and shaken, according to the police.

Yesterday (Tuesday), detectives appealed for information about the attack, which happened at about 5.30pm on Sunday.

They are particularly keen for a middle-aged man and a woman, who passed the victim going in the opposite direction just before the assault, to come forward.

The couple are described as a white man in his 60s, wearing light trousers and a t-shirt, and a white woman who appeared younger, maybe in her 50s, with short auburn hair which gave the appearance of being layered. She was wearing a cerise pink coloured top.

The couple would have walked past the attacker who has been described as white, 35 to 40 years old, 5'10" to 6' tall, stocky, clean shaven, and wearing dark olive green knee-length shorts, a blue long-sleeved hooded top and a blue woollen hat folded up at the front.

Detective Inspector Craig Harrison, who is investigating the assault, said: "I am appealing for the man and woman who walked past the victim just before the assault to get in touch as they could have crucial information.

"We know that they moved aside to allow her by and the man said 'hello' to her child as they passed.

"This was a very distressing ordeal for the victim to have to endure and we are treating it very seriously. However, I would stress that attacks of this nature are rare and it is being treated as an isolated incident at this time.

"Anyone with information, no matter how insignificant it may be, should contact police."

INFORMATION: Anyone with information should contact DI Harrison on 0845 4564564, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.