Detectives are hunting a man who snatched a woman off the street in the early hours and raped her.

She was attacked as she walked alone along Battle Road, Hastings, between 3am and 4.45am yesterday.

A man approached her as she reached the Tivoli Tavern pub and dragged her into nearby Hollington Old Lane, where he carried out the assault.

The woman is being interviewed by specialist police officers.

Detective Sergeant Colin Jaques said the woman, from the Hastings area, had been traumatised.

Her attacker is described as white, aged 22, 5ft 6in to 5ft 9in tall, with short, light-coloured crew-cut hair.

He was clean shaven, of skinny to medium build and wore a white T-shirt and white trousers.

Mr Jaques said: "What I would like to stress is the man's clothing. He was wearing a white T-shirt and white trousers, which is quite unusual in itself.

"At that time of night he must have been seen by someone coming back from a club or by taxi drivers.

"I can narrow the times down to between 3.50am and 4.45am. This was the night the clocks went back, so that may help jog someone's memory."

Anyone with information about the incident or the attacker should call Hastings CID on 0845 6070999.