A WOMAN WHO was raped by a stranger as she walked home from work in Telford was found by a passer-by in a distressed state, a court today heard.

The victim, who is in her mid-20s, ran out of bushes crying and told the woman she had just been raped, a jury at Shrewsbury Crown Court was told. The attack took place in broad daylight in woods by a railway line close to the A442 in Randlay.

It happened at about 5.15pm on August 11, 2009.

Jamie Findlater, 19, from Doddington, Hollinswood, Telford, denies three charges of rape and one charge of robbery in relation to the incident.

Witness Catherine Edwards told the court she had been walking home from work along a pathway near the scene of the attack when the victim suddenly came running out of a wooded area.

Miss Edwards said shortly before the victim appeared, she had heard shouting coming from by the railway line.

She added: “I was walking along listening to music on my iPod but I thought I could hear some shouting coming from behind the bushes.

“Then a woman came out and ran towards me with her trainers in her hand looking very distressed.

“She ran to me and told me she had been raped and was looking behind her all the time. I gave a silly reply like “no way, seriously?” but it was clear it was very serious.

“I asked if she was okay and she said she was but she seemed shakey and nervous . . . and she asked if I would walk to the road with her.

“I noticed that she had grass, leaves and twigs on her clothes and they looked wet in places and she was struggling to try and get her mobile phone to work.

“When she did, she manage to call someone. I don’t know who. She sounded very scared and asked them to come and pick her up.

“She then told me I could go and she would wait at the road for her lift. I regret leaving her now, but she insisted she was fine.

“I looked back at her as I walked away and could see she was holding her head in her hands.”

Earlier in the hearing, the court heard the attacker took four £10 notes from the victim before casually giving her one back and telling her not to tell anyone about what had happened.

The trial continues.

By Andrew Morris