A WOMAN was seriously sexually assaulted after being forced into a car and driven to a car park.

The attack happened some time between 11.30pm on Monday and just after midnight on Tuesday in the Manchester Road area.

It is the third serious sexual assault to take place in central Swindon since May.

Police say they are not linking the attacks as the descriptions of the men involved do not match.

In the latest incident the 39-year-old victim was approached by a man in Alfred Street, near the junction with Manchester Road, and forced into a car.

She was then driven to a nearby location, believed to be in the vicinity of Spring Gardens car park, where she was subjected to the assault.

She managed to walk back to her house in the Manchester Road area and reported the attack to the police.

The victim has been interviewed by officers and undergone a forensic examination to obtain evidence to help police trace the offender.

Investigating officer detective inspector Andy Bridge said: “There are lines of inquiry that we are following, including CCTV that we hope will provide us with more information.

“There may be local people out and about in that area at the time who may hold information that might help us.”

He said the victim was not a sex worker but they had not ruled out the possibility the man was in the area because he knew prostitutes sometimes worked there .

He said the vehicle used in the attack was a dark car, possibly black, but it was not known if it had any distinguishing features.

The offender was described as black, 5ft 8ins, of medium build, with short black hair and wearing rectangular framed glasses.

DI Bridge said he wanted to speak to anyone who was in the Alfred Street or Manchester Road area at the relevant times, or who might have seen a woman being forced into a car, or who saw or heard unusual activity in the Spring Gardens car park area, or anyone who may know who the man is.

He said: “I am appealing to people who might have information to come forward to help us build up a picture of what happened.”

In May, a woman was sexually assaulted in her home in the Manchester Road/Corporation Street area by two Asian-looking men.

And in July a teenager was sexually assaulted in an alleyway behind the Wilkinson store off Fleet Street by a 6ft tall black man with very short hair.

Anyone with information should call Wiltshire Police on 0845 408 7000 or Crimestoppers, where information can be left anonymously, on 0800 555 111.