A man who raped a woman as she walked through Telford may have approached another woman in the same location just days before the attack.

Police said a woman has come forward to say she was approached by a man matching the rapist’s description as she walked close to where the attack happened.

Detective Inspector Steve Tonks said: “We have been pleased with the response we have received from the public and I’d like to thank those people that have already come forward.”

A woman in her 20s was grabbed and dragged into woodland as she walked towards Randlay, from Stafford Park, along a footpath between the A442 Eastern Primary road and the nearby railway line on August 11, at about 5pm.

Mr Tonks said that on August 8, between 4pm and 5pm, a woman was approached by a man matching the offender’s description as she walked towards the footbridge.

“She describes the man as being white, about 6ft, with ‘pock marks’ or acne scarring on his face and wearing a light-coloured T-shirt and tracksuit bottoms.

“We believe that in the offender’s case the acne scarring is very distinctive.”

Police also want to trace a man seen just prior to the attack sitting or leaning against the display board – showing a map of Stafford Park – at the entrance to Stafford Park 13, and a second man, seen at about 5.15pm, walking northbound along the inside lane of the Stirchley interchange.

“We also remain extremely keen to speak to a man that overtook the victim on a bicycle as she walked along the footpath,” he said.

Information to police on 0300 333 3000.