POLICE have arrested a 24-year-old man on suspicion of rape after a man was attacked as he walked along a cycle path.

The 43-year-old victim was walking home after a night out when he was approached by a man and sexually assaulted.

The incident occurred between 5.15am and 5.30am on Sunday, January 6 along a cycle path close to Mortimore Road and Station Road in Gosport.

The suspect then followed the victim and a further confrontation took place in Mortimore Road.

The attacker was described as white, aged between 20 and 30 about 5ft 9 ins tall, of medium to stocky build, he was wearing a light coloured jacket and blue or black jeans and spoke with a Gosport accent.

Detective Constable Nick Wieczorek said: "This is an extremely rare occurrence for Gosport and those residents living close to the cycle path should not be unduly alarmed. Police believe this was an isolated incident.”

He appealed for anyone who was in the area to contact police or who saw someone matching the description.

A 24-year-old man from Gosport has been arrested on suspicion of rape and bailed pending further inquiries.