A WOMAN fought off a would-be sex attacker who grabbed her and pushed her to the ground as she walked to a Southampton nightclub in the early hours of this morning.

The 22-year-old victim was followed before the man took hold of her shoulder, twisted her around and knocked her backwards to the ground before trying to pull down her leggings.

The woman kicked the man and started screaming to fight him off and he ran away.

The attack happened near the junction of Lyon Street and Dorset Street, close to the YMCA building, at 12.20am.

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It comes less than a week after another woman was attacked in nearby Bevois Valley as she walked back to her car from The Hobbit pub.

In this morning's incident, the woman was followed along Bath Street and Southcliff Road as she made her way to the Unit nightclub in St Mary's Road.

Police investigating the attack were today searching the scene for clues, and the junction was cordoned off.

The suspect is described as white, chunky build, approx 5ft 9- 5ft10 ins tall, approximately 30-years-old. He was wearing a blue/grey hooded jumper with the hood pulled up, and blue/grey tracksuit bottoms.

Anyone with any information should call Bitterne CID on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.