Images have been released of a man police want to trace in connection with the attempted rape of a woman.

A man followed a 22-year-old woman off a bus and attempted to attack her in Becontree Avenue, Dagenham, at around 6.20pm on Monday, March 6.

The victim got off the EL2 bus on Wood Lane opposite Morrisons supermarket and turned into Becontree Avenue.

The suspect, who was travelling on the same bus, followed her.

The suspect then grabbed the woman from behind, threw her to the ground and removed his jeans, exposing himself.

The victim was able to punch the suspect in the stomach and shout for help.

A driver in a passing vehicle stopped and phoned the police. The suspect ran off towards Wood Lane.

Bus CCTV caught images of the suspect before he disembarked.

The suspect is described as a man in his 30s with fair hair and a short brown beard wearing a grey top with a white shirt underneath. He wore blue jeans.

Detective Constable Matt James, from the Met’s Sexual Offences, Exploitation and Child Abuse Command, said: "The woman is very shaken from her ordeal.

“She was able to shout for help and use self-defence to flee from her attacker.

"We are keen to identify the man in the CCTV footage so we can speak to him about the incident. We would also urge anyone who witnessed the incident to contact us."

Officers have yet to make an arrest over the case and enquiries continue.

  • Anyone with information or any witnesses are urged to call police on: 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on: 0800 555 111.