POLICE in Devizes are hunting for a man who carried out a sexual assault on a woman in her 60s walking along a canal towpath.

At around 7.55pm, a woman was walking along the Kennet & Avon Canal towpath towards the Northgate Street canal bridge.

She was approached from behind by a man who came from the Prison Bridge direction and sexually assaulted her.

The man is described as white, with dark spiky hair and was unshaven. He was wearing a mustard yellow T-shirt.

He is described as slim to medium build and approximately 5 ft 6 inches tall.

During the incident, the woman - who was not a dog walker - was knocked to the floor. The man then ran off up the steps from the towpath onto Northgate Street.

After the attack, several police service vehicles and an ambulance attended the scene.

A spokesman for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said: "We were called on Tuesday at 8.05pm to attend an incident in the area of The Wharf, Devizes.

"Our ambulance crew treated a female patient at the scene and conveyed her to hospital for further care."

It is understood the woman was not hurt in the assault but was shaken up by the incident, which happened just as it was getting dark.

Officers quickly cordoned off access to the canal towpath on both sides of the road at Northgate Bridge in Northgate Street close to the Esso fuel station in The Nursery.

There was a large police presence on Northgate Street, Bath Road and The Nursery with officers making house-to-house enquiries.

Police also used a helicopter to search for a suspect in the area but the man had disappeared.

Devizes police also issued an appeal for help, saying "Officers in Devizes are investigating a report of a sexual assault which occurred earlier this evening near to the canal, by the Esso garage, Bath Road.

"Officers have been assisted by the police helicopter and a scene is currently cordoned off near to the canal while we continue with our enquiries."

Avon Terrace resident, Jenny O'Neal, 59, said: "I hope the woman is okay. I would certainly not go down the canal at night-time unless I was with my husband, Steve.

"I certainly feel a bit spooked by news of this attack. I always walk where it is well-lit."

Det Sgt Neil Le-Maire, of Wiltshire Police, said: “Any incident of this nature will understandably be concerning for the local community.

"However, I want to reassure members of the public that these types of incidents are rare and we will be conducting increased patrols in the town as a precautionary measure.

“We take reports of this nature extremely seriously and this is no exception. We have already commenced swift enquiries in an attempt to find the person responsible.

"Even though the surrounding area would have been reasonably quiet at that time of the evening, people in the area may have seen something or captured something on their car dash cam which they did not realise was significant at the time."

Police have asked anyone who witnessed anything suspicious in the area which can assist their investigation to call 101 immediately.

Det Sgt Le-Maire said: “If you think you may be able to help with our enquiries, please call us on 101 and quote crime reference number 54190092417.”

Alternatively, call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.