Arrest after sexual assault in vehicle at bus stop

A man has been arrested after a woman was sexually assaulted in a layby after getting into a vehicle, police have said.

The victim had been in Bognor Regis town centre on Thursday evening when she entered a vehicle near the Tesco Express store in Station Road, said Sussex Police.

The vehicle, believed to dark coloured, stopped in a bus stop layby on the A259 near the junction with Marsh Lane in Merston, where the driver then sexually assaulted the woman sometime between 23:30 GMT on Thursday and 01:00 on Friday, said the force.

A 26-year-old man had been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and remains in custody, it confirmed.

The victim, aged in her 30s, was able to run to safety before reporting the incident, said police.

Officers said they were keen to speak to anyone who was in the Station Road area near Tesco or anyone who saw the vehicle as it left Bognor Regis.

Det Insp Rebecca Hopkins said: "This was a highly distressing incident for the victim and we are ensuring she has appropriate support in place as our investigation progresses.

"We have made an arrest and our enquiries are ongoing.

"We still want to hear from witnesses or from anyone with information which could help our investigation."

Anyone with relevant dashcam or doorbell camera footage was urged to contact police.

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