A young woman was gang-raped just hours after a sexual attack on a 14-year-old girl in a nearby street.

The victims are today recovering from their terrifying ordeals at the hands of strangers following separate attacks during the same night.

The 19-year-old woman was followed by four men as she walked home from a work function.

She was pushed to the floor before two members of the gang carried out a brutal rape.

Police are still trying to establish what part the other two men played in the attack.

The victim was left traumatised by her ordeal but she managed to make her way home to tell her parents she had been raped.

Her parents comforted her as they called police.

She had been walking along Bohemia Road, Hastings, between midnight and 12.30am yesterday but she was attacked as she reached Cambridge Road.

Detectives are still working with her to try to piece together descriptions of her attackers.

Detective Inspector Mark Ling said: "This was a terrible attack and I have a team of detectives working on the inquiry. I'm appealing for the public's help in tracking down those responsible.

"I'm particularly anxious to speak to anyone who thinks they may have seen this young women, or a group of four males, walking down Bohemia Road.

"We would also like to talk to anybody who saw any altercationRapists run riot in town or disturbance in Cambridge Road involving a young woman and a group of men."

The attack on the 14-year-old girl took place just streets away early in the evening, as she walked home from a friend's house.

The girl was walking along the upper promenade of Marina Parade, just east of the Marine Court building in St Leonards near Hastings at 7pm.

She was approached by a man who suddenly punched her in the stomach.

The attacker threw the young girl to the ground before carrying out a terrifying assault.

Leaving the girl in shock, he fled after the attack and ran into London Road.

Despite her ordeal, the teenager found the will to go to Hastings police station to report the attack herself.

Police said there was no description of the man available and officers were viewing CCTV footage from the area to identify him.

Detective Sergeant Geoff Childs said: "It appears from the CCTV that we've seen so far that there were a fair number of people using the promenade, walking, jogging or walking their dogs. We would like to speak to anyone who was in that area at that time."

Police said there was no suspicion mobile phones had been used to film the attacks or take pictures as they were carried out.

Both victims were undergoing special cognitive interviewing designed to draw more information about their traumatic experiences.

Anyone with information about the attacks should call 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.