FEMALE students have been put on alert after an 18-year-old was subjected to a sex attack as she walked along a Southampton road.

The young woman was grabbed and indecently assaulted by a man while a second man urged him on.

It happened as the woman walked along Royal Crescent Road near its junction with Canute Road.

She was walking past Ollies Ocean World near to the Lucia Foster Welch halls of residence when the two men struck.

She managed to break free and after an exchange of words her attackers ran off. She then went to the security office at the halls and reported the incident that happened between 2.30am and 3am on Thursday morning.

Detective constable Martin Coveney said: "I would advise female students or any women walking in the area at night, to take extra care. It was a very upsetting for the victim.

"I am also keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the incident or saw two men hanging round in the area before or after the incident."

This is the second indecent assault to be reported in that location within a month, although police say at the present time the two incidents are not being linked.

In the early hours of March 1 a 19-year-old student reported being attacked as she walked alone back to her hall of residence.

She told police how she noticed a red Transit van parked on the side of the road with two men in it, who appeared to be calling out to a group of girls in front of her. Both men got out, one of whom then sexually assaulted her. No arrests have yet been made in that case.

A police spokesman said: "We are looking into that earlier incident but at the moment we have no grounds to believe the two assaults are linked."

A MAJOR police inquiry into an alleged rape of a young woman as she sat alone on the foreshore Netley has been dramatically dropped.

Police said a 22-year-old woman had been arrested on suspicion of wasting police time and attempting to pervert the course of justice.

A huge police search swung into operation after a woman complained that she has been raped in the early hours of Friday, March 18, while she sat looking over Southampton Water.

Officers conducted house-to-house inquiries and issued an e-fit of the alleged suspect in an investigation spearheaded by the major crime team based at Southampton's Hulse Road police station and codenamed Operation Hyacinth.

Today police were praising the public and the media for help in the investigation.

The 22-year-old was arrested at 9.30am yesterday and questioned by the major crime team before being bailed while police decided on their next step.

A spokesman said: "Hampshire Constabulary takes allegations of rape very seriously - which has been highlighted by the thorough investigation launched into this operation.

"The major crime team would like to reassure the public that they are no longer looking for a rapist in connection with this allegation.''