A WOMAN was pushed to the ground and subjected to a terrifying sexual assault by a gang of youths as she walked along a Hampshire street.

Four men attacked the 20- year-old victim as she made her way home from nearby shops.

Police said the woman was left badly distressed by the horrifying ordeal, but fear it could have been much more serious if the attackers hadn’t been disturbed by a passing car and run off.

Patrols have been stepped up in the Townhill Park area of Southampton after the incident on Sunday evening, while officers have also been appealing for help from the community in tracing those responsible.

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The woman was walking along Townhill Way between 7pm and 7.30pm, when she spotted the four youths, who were all wearing black hoodies, acting suspiciously.

She attempted to jog past them, but they grabbed her and forced her to the ground, before sexually assaulting her over her clothes.

As a car approached the gang ran off down an alleyway towards Meggeson Avenue. PC Giulio Pizzo, from the Shirley-based public protection unit said the victim was left badly shaken by her ordeal.

He said: “It appears the car’s headlights scared them off so we could have been looking at something far more serious, but she was understandably very distressed by what happened.

“We all want to go about our lives in as safe and practical way as we can and we should not live in fear of that sort of attack.”

Police want to hear from anyone with any information about the assault.

PC Pizzo said: “A member of the public may have seen what they thought was a completely innocent situation, but if they saw anything we need to hear from them.

“These individuals have probably spoken to other people about this and, if they have, or if they’ve had a turn of conscience themselves, they should come forward and speak to the police.”

Call PC Pizzo on 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.