AN 11-year-old girl was allegedly sexually assaulted during a family visit to a busy picnic site.

The girl was at Fort Victoria near Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight when she was approached by a man who assaulted her before walking away, Hampshire Police said.

The incident, at around 11am yesterday, was described by Detective Sergeant John Stirling as a ''rare but very serious incident against a child, during the day in a busy picnic site''.

The man was said to be white with pale skin, aged in his 50s, with grey hair and was clean shaven. He was around 6ft, of average build and with a deep voice.

He was wearing a short-sleeved shirt with dark blue and light blue stripes and blue jeans at the time of the incident.

A man arrested yesterday was released and no further action is to be taken against him, the force said.

Police said they had increased patrols in the area over the weekend to reassure the local community.