Police want to speak to the man pictured in this CCTV image in connection with an alleged rape in Braintree.

A Braintree woman, aged in her 40s, met a man at The Lounge in Market Place on July 12.

She went outside with him when he attacked her at about 2am in an alleyway behind the pub.

She managed to fight him off and call police.

She was unharmed but badly shaken and is still frightened about going out on her own.

DC Andrew Crouch of the North Sexual Offences Investigation Team said: "This was a vicious and unprovoked attack by a man the victim had only just met at The Lounge. “She doesn’t know his name and has no idea where he is from.

"The woman had been out with friends and they arrived at The Lounge at about midnight.

“We believe that the suspect had been at the Lounge some time before the woman arrived.

"We believe that other people at The Lounge might know who the suspect is and his name."

The man is white, about 5ft 9in tall, medium build and he was wearing blue jeans and a white T-shirt with printed image on the front.

Anyone with information should contact DC Crouch on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.