Palmerston Park in Southampton taped off by police following serious sexual assault

A 19-year-old woman was assaulted shortly before 2am today following a night out with friends.

Tape has been across the entrance to Palmerston Park on Above Bar Street since the early hours and there are three patrol cars on the scene.

Part of Palmerston Park remains cordoned off this morning while we investigate an allegation of serious sexual assault.

People are prevented from using a section of footpath and nearby bushes are also cordoned off, with the area of the park between Que Pasa and New Road out of bounds.

Uniformed officers are guarding the area while a photographer has been taking pictures of the area.

Police on the scene refused to reveal the nature of the investigation.

Newsagent Zaki Gul, from nearby Your Local Supermarket, arrived to open his store at 8.15am.

He said: “I arrived here for work this morning, saw the area taped off and police cars there. It might be something serious. It makes me worry and I want to know what is going on.”

Taxi Driver Jeff Chandler, 47 was pulling up to a nearby taxi rank at 2am this morning when he saw a commotion.

He said: “There was a lot of police activity. There were about four police cars, a van and about eight police officers on the pavement talking into radios and to each other.