A stranger knocked on a woman's door before forcing his way in and raping her 

The incident happened at an address in Milward Crescent in Hastings just before 7pm on November 30 when the man, who was not known to the woman, called at the house and pushed his way through the front door.

The man is described as white, aged 20-30 and wearing a black hooded jumper, dark tracksuit bottoms and a snood.

Police have released a video and e-fit image as part of their investigation.

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Amanda Zinyama, detective inspector, said: "This was a shocking ordeal for the woman, who is now being supported by specialist officers and bravely assisting us with our enquiry.

“The nature of the offence is extremely unusual, and we continue to work to identify this man.

“While we have no information that links him to any other incidents, I would urge people to be cautious about anyone who may be acting suspiciously in the area or when answering the door to unexpected callers.

“In an emergency, don’t hesitate to dial 999 immediately.

"We appreciate that this will cause concern among the local community and in addition to a dedicated investigation team, we have increased patrols in the area to provide visibility and reassurance.

“House-to-house enquiries are continuing, along with work to secure doorbell and other CCTV footage from Milward Crescent and surrounding roads.

“If you have any concerns or indeed, any information, no matter how small, that you think may help us, please feel free to speak to our officers.

"The video isn't particularly clear, but I would ask that you look closely at it to see if the way the man walks or if any other aspect of his appearance seems familiar to you.

“If you saw him in the area around 7pm on Saturday, please get in touch.

“Anyone with information can report online, call 101 quoting Operation Chalton or scan the QR code here.”