A WOMAN was robbed and sexually assaulted in Colchester's Castle .

The victim was walking near to a children’s play area when she was approached by a man who demanded cash and her phone.

The woman refused and the man punched her to the floor, pulled out a knife and cut the victim’s face.

During the attack he sexually assaulted her as he searched for her phone and left the scene with her purse.

It happened around 9.15pm last night, Wednesday October 24.

The woman described her attacker as being white, aged in his 20s, with light coloured hair and was of a skinny build.

He wore dark tracksuit bottoms and a light coloured hooded tracksuit top.

We believe the suspect ran off towards the town centre and would have been restricted to alleyways because the park was closed at the time.

Anyone with information is asked to call Colchester CID quoting incident 1411 of 24/10.

You can also report information online by visiting www.essex.police.uk/do-it-online or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.