POLICE are urging students to be vigilant after a teenager was sexually assaulted on her way to school in Brierley Hill.

A 16-year-old girl was approached by a man who asked her for the time as she walked through Woodside Park, near the Highgate Road entrance, at around 8.20am on Tuesday September 8.

The man continued to talk to her and the girl tried to ignore him, but he then touched her inappropriately before running back into the park.

Detective Constable Thomas Cunningham-Smith from Brierley Hill Police Station said: "We would like to reassure people that this is an isolated matter and we are doing all we can to find the man responsible.

"The girl was not hurt in the assault but was understandably left extremely shaken."

The offender is described as a white man, around five feet four, in his 20s, and of medium build.

He had dark, messy brown hair and wore grey tracksuit bottoms and a black top.

DC Cunningham-Smith added: "We have been carrying out patrols in the area and would ask anyone who was in the park that morning - or in the days leading up to the offence - and saw a man matching the description given to call us.

"Now all the schools are back after the summer break, we would like to remind all students about stranger danger and to consider their personal safety when walking to and from school."

He urged youngsters to walk together with a friend if possible, but if not to stick to populated and well-lit areas.

Anyone with information about the assault is asked to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.