Police are appealing for witnesses after a 22-year-old woman was sexually assaulted as she was walking home with a friend.

The woman was in New Road, near to the Coroners’ Court, at about 1.45am last Thursday, when a man approached her from behind and put his hand up her skirt.

Her friend pushed the man away and he got on to the cycle he was pushing and cycled off.

The man is dark skinned, possibly Asian, aged in this late twenties and about 5ft 7ins tall. He was wearing a dark hooded top and dark trousers.

He rode off on a silver or grey racing cycle.

PC Trish Coyne said: “The woman and her friend threw their hot drinks over the man as he rode away so he would have had a wet back.

“I appeal to anyone who might have seen this man before or after the assault to contact me.

Anyone with information about the incident is urged to contact PC Coyne at Oxford police station via Thames Valley Police Enquiry Centre on 0845 8 505 505. If you don’t want to speak to police and don’t want to leave your name contact the Crimestoppers charity on 0800 555 111.