THE hunt for a sex attacker has been stepped up by police in Sabden.

Officers went door-to-door along the route a 14-year-old girl is understood to have taken before she was attacked in Padiham Road last Monday at around 7.30am.

Community beat manager PC Sally Biggar, from Clitheroe Police, said resources were being increased to catch the offender.

She said: “The aim of going door-to-door was to get a bit more information and to see if anybody has any CCTV.

“Hopefully it will jog people’s memories.

“I have been the community beat manager here for three years and I am not aware of any incident like this happening.

“It is a village community here, everybody knows about the attack and we are getting a lot of help from the public.”

Chris Spry, 50, from Stubbins Lane, said the incident had shocked the close-knit community.

He said: “I have a teenage daughter myself and so it does raise concerns.

“It is quite unusual for something like this to happen in the village.

“I am pleased that the police are showing more presence now. It is reassuring.”

The youngster had been followed by her attacker for a short distance before the assault.

The man, who is described as having a deep voice with a local accent, and wearing trainers, dark-coloured jogging pants with a dark hooded top and brown gloves, put his hand over the teenager’s mouth, and after pulling her along the driveway, tried to force her to take down her trousers. She refused and fought him off as he attempted to undress her.

Police said that the attacker then gave up and ran off up Padiham Road towards Simonstone Road.

Officers are also investigating the possibility that the attack is linked to an incident of indecent exposure two-and-a-half miles away in Church Street, Padiham.

Anybody with any information about the attack should contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.