POLICE are seeking to reassure residents after a young woman was forced into a van and assaulted in woodland.

Officers launched an investigation after the victim was found in a distressed state on a cycleway several hours after the incident began in the Brockhurst area of Gosport.

A police spokesman said "serious concerns" had been raised by Brockhurst residents following the incident.

They added: "We have taken time to do research into the crime picture in the Brockhurst area so we can offer some reassurance about what our data is telling us and what police are doing."

The spokesman said many of the concerns related to sexual offences and assaults, vehicle crime and anti-social behaviour.

Describing the results of the research he added: "We are seeing a reduction in three of these incident types.

"The only type that has not seen a reduction is sexual offences – with two reported to police this year and two in the same period in 2019, so the figures have remained the same."

READ MORE: New deputy police commissioner proposed

Chief Inspector Fifi Gulam-Husen, District Commander for Fareham and Gosport, said she hoped the figures "provide some reassurance".

“What the data is showing us is that the concerns being raised, some of which reference serious criminal allegations, are not reflected by recent reports to police."

But she added: "Please do not think we are being complacent or trying to invalidate the concerns that have been raised."

Chief Inspector Gulam-Husen stressed that tackling violence against women and girls is a priority.

As reported in the Daily Echo a woman in her 20s was forced into a orange van by a man she did not know and driven to an area of woodland. She was physically assaulted before fleeing from her attacker.

Anyone with information can contact police on 101, quoting crime reference number 44220153483.

A message from the Editor

Thank you for reading this article - we appreciate your support in reading the Daily Echo.

Subscribing to the Echo means you have unrestricted access to the latest news, features and Saints coverage - all with an advertising-light website.

You will also have full access to Saintsplus, your new home for Southampton FC tactical analysis, features and much, much more.

Don't take my word for it - subscribe here to see for yourself.

Follow the latest breaking news in the Southampton area by joining our Facebook group - Southampton News - Breaking News and Incidents

Follow the latest court and crime news on our dedicated Facebook group - Hampshire Court and Crime News