Woman assaulted in Manchester city centre
A 25-year-old woman was thrown to the floor and ordered to undress in an attack in Manchester city centre.
The woman was near the junction of Postal Street and Newton Street just before 03:50 GMT when her attacker grabbed her from behind.
Police said he then repeatedly assaulted her as she screamed for help.
Passers-by came to help her and the offender ran off along Postal Street. She was taken to hospital where she was treated for serious facial injuries.
The man is described as black, slim, between 5ft 6in and 6ft tall and with a shaved head.
He also spoke with an Afro-Caribbean accent, police said.
Det Insp Andy Naismith said: "The woman has been subjected to an appalling assault that was only cut short thanks to the passers-by who heard her screams for help.
"Incidents such as this are very rare and I want to reassure local residents or those heading to Manchester for an evening out that we have a team of detectives trying to identify the offender."
He added: "If anyone was in the area at the time of the attack and saw a man matching the description or if anyone thinks they might know who is responsible I would encourage them to contact the police.
"I would also urge women who are out late at night to take a few safety precautions where possible, such as travelling in groups and taking pre-booked taxis to and from home."