A 19-year-old girl fought off a man who dragged her into an alleyway and tried to rape her after a night out.

The thick-set stranger launched his attack after she refused an offer of a lift home.

He had struck up a conversation with her in a taxi queue in the early hours of Sunday morning.

Police are treating the incident as attempted rape.

The attack happened in an alley between Black Lion Street and Bartholomew Square in Brighton at about 6am.

The girl was queuing for a taxi outside the Old Ship Hotel in Kings Road, Brighton, when the man, who was sitting on some nearby steps, approached her.

When she declined a lift he grabbed her, pushed her into the alleyway and forced her to the ground.

She managed to free herself and raised the alarm with some bin collectors working nearby.

The man is described as white, about 35, about 15 or 16 stone, 5ft 9in or 5ft 10in, with a clean shaven, round face and chubby cheeks.

He had mousy brown spiked hair, with blonde tips. He was wearing a pink shirt, dark denim jeans and he spoke with a local accent.

DC Tracey Dixon from Brighton CID said: "This was a very aggressive attack on the young woman leaving her in an extremely distressed state. I would like to hear from anyone who was waiting for a taxi outside the Old Ship Hotel at that time to contact me if they saw this man. He is quite distinctive.

"Did you see him earlier in the evening or perhaps running away from the area at around 6.20am?"

Anyone with information is asked to call DC Dixon on 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.