A WOMEN was knocked unconscious and raped as she walked home from a Lancaster nightclub.

Police have warned women to be on their guard after the second serious assault in the same area in a week.

Although police are not, at this stage, linking the two incidents, they will investigate the possibility of a connection.

In the latest incident, a 32-year-old local woman was sexually assaulted on Moor Close, Lancaster just before 3am on Sunday morning.

She was knocked to the ground, causing a fractured jaw and unconsciousness.

She awoke to find herself being attacked.

Police are anxious to hear from anyone who saw the victim as she walked home.

She left the club on North Road and walked along Stonewell and up Moor Lane. She is 5ft 2in tall and wore a pink teeshirt, red trousers and red shoes and carried a black handbag.

Her attacker is white, male, 25 years old, 5ft 4ins tall, wearing a white long sleeve jacket, possibly with a zip, black and white checked trousers with small checks and light coloured training shoes. He had spiky blonde hair and may have been wearing a hat.

DS Andy Chambers of Lancaster police said: "Anyone who was in the area at the time who saw either of these people or recognised the attacker is asked to call Lancaster CID on 01524 63333 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."

The latest attack comes just a week after a woman was indecently assaulted in nearby Shaw Street.

DS Chambers added: "It would be wrong to say that the two incidents are linked, however we are obviously looking incidents in detail to see if there is any evidence to connect the two.

"We also want to issue a safety warning. It would be naive to say these kind of incidents will not happen again.

"Women should try to avoid walking alone late at night, and if they do they should think before walking down dark alleys and canal banks."

Police say they are still anxious to trace a group of people who helped the previous victim.

The two men and two women helped the woman, who was attacked in the early hours of Friday morning, back to her home.

They said they would be able to identify the attacker, who they to scared off, but they have not been traced.