A WOMAN was assaulted in her own home in Westbury in a terrifying sexually motivated attack, prompting a wide scale police appeal and a warning to people in the town to step up home security, making sure doors and windows are kept locked.

Residents living in the Market Place area near to All Saints Church are being encouraged to lock their doors when they are at home after a white man in his 20s or 30s climbed through a window to carry out the assault at around 11.30pm on Wednesday, February 8.

The man, described as tall, with pronounced ears, short, dark hair wearing a white jacket with blue markings and blue jeans, was disturbed during the attack and escaped through the same window. The woman was not hurt but has been left quite shaken.

This week police have been carrying out extra foot patrols in the area and on Wednesday night called on homes around the Market Place, hoping to jg people's memories of events a week earlier.

Some residents, such as Kerry Shelton of Alfred Street, admitted they felt the incident is worrying.

"I have not seen any extra patrols. I did have two officers round last night asking if I heard anything, but I was asleep when the incident happened," she said. "I have lived in this house for seven years and never experienced any incidents in the area really. It is scary that it happened so close."

Detective Inspector Simon Pope said: "We are following a number of lines of enquiry but believe the man who carried out this assault must know the area well.

"We would like to speak to anyone who was in this part of Westbury on Wednesday evening last week; even if you didn't hear or see anything suspicious we would like to eliminate you from our enquiries.

"We have CCTV which we are currently going through, so it would be helpful to hear from you if you were out and about in the town. We would also like to speak to a man seen on a bicycle in the area at 11.30pm - if that was you please contact us."

Even though police will be carrying out extra patrols in the area, some businesses in the town centre, such as Garstons Veterinary Group and the Ludlow Arms, have advised their female workers to leave work in pairs in the later hours, or are escorting female staff to their cars when they leave.

Anyone with information should call Trowbridge CID on 101 or anonymously, via crimestoppers, on 0800 555111.