A woman in her 40s was allegedly raped in a clifftop nature reserve above Boscombe beach in Bournemouth, Dorset Police have confirmed, with detectives now examining the scene and appealing for information as the search for the attacker continues.
A manhunt has been launched after a woman in her 40s was allegedly raped at a clifftop nature reserve above Boscombe beach in Bournemouth. The incident is reported to have occurred at around 9.15pm, though police were not alerted until roughly three hours later, at 12.16am. A cordon has since been put in place at Woodland Walk, the beauty spot where the attack allegedly took place, allowing detectives to carry out a detailed examination of the scene. No arrests have been made, and police have yet to release a description of the alleged attacker.
What police have said
A Dorset Police spokesperson confirmed the details of the report: “We received a report at 12.16am that a woman aged in her 40s was raped in the Boscombe area of Bournemouth. The incident is reported to have occurred approximately three hours earlier.” The spokesperson added: “A cordon is in place in Woodland Walk to allow for an examination of the scene to be carried out. Detailed enquiries are underway into the incident led by detectives and support is being provided to the victim. No arrests have been made at this time.”
Where the attack took place
The alleged assault is understood to have occurred in a different, more affluent part of Bournemouth than the area around the resort’s Victorian pier, where a number of sexual assaults have previously been reported in recent years. Woodland Walk, the clifftop location where the latest incident allegedly happened, lies further along the coast near a private school, marking a departure from the pattern of previous incidents in the area.
Ongoing investigation
Detectives are continuing to carry out detailed enquiries as they work to establish the full circumstances of what happened. Support is being provided to the victim as the investigation progresses, and police have not yet released any further details about a suspect.
