THEY are the people who could hold vital clues about who raped a teenage girl as she walked home in Southampton.

Detectives today released footage in the hope of tracing a handful of potential witnesses who had seen the victim moments before the sex attack.

As reported in the Daily Echo, the 19-year-old girl told police she was raped after leaving a friend's house in Woolston.

She had left the house in St Anne's Road and walked along Station Road and into Cranbury Road as part of her journey home.

At about 3am the man struck, pulling her into Radstock Road, where she claims he then raped her before she struggled free and ran off.

Officers are keen to stress that the people captured on CCTV are not suspects of the attack, which happened last Saturday, but potentially vital witnesses who could help with the investigation.

Detectives have also appealed for taxi drivers who picked up and dropped off in the area to come forward if they recognise the description of the attacker or remember seeing the victim in that area between 2am and 4am.

Det Sgt Steve White, of Bitterne CID, said: "There are three people captured on CCTV on Portsmouth Road in the moments before the victim claimed she was raped. We are keen to trace these people, as we believe they could hold vital information, but would like to stress they are not suspects in this case."

Officers spent most of yesterday carrying out house-to-house inquiries in the area, and forensic evidence from the scene is now being examined.

The attacker is described as white, 5ft 8in with short dark brown hair. He is believed to be aged in his early to mid-30s and has a local accent.

He was wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans. The victim was wearing a distinctive bright pink top.

Officers are keen to hear from anyone in Spring Road, Radstock Road, St Anne's Road or Cranbury Road between 2.15am and about 3.30am, who thinks they may have seen the man or the victim.

Anyone with any information should contact Bitterne CID on 0845 045 4545 quoting Operation Thornbury or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.