A "RAT-LIKE" sex attacker is still on the run one month on from a street assault which left an 18-year-old woman traumatised.

Detectives are desperate to trace two crucial witnesses to the daylight attack in Chorley Old Road on June 4.

Efforts over the last month to find the attacker have drawn a blank, with no suspect identified.

The teenager was pushed against a fence and sexually assaulted after seeing the attacker performing a sex act on himself, police said.

She had been on her own walking to the shops at the time the man approached her at the junction with Conway Avenue.

The man did not threaten the girl but did speak to her in a broad Bolton accent, before walking off towards Brighton Avenue.

The attacker is described as white with pale skin, aged 19 to 20, with red spots and a "rat-like" appearance.

He had short, mousey brown hair.

The man is between 5ft 8in tall and 5ft 9in tall, of a slim build and was wearing a dark grey, loose-fitting hooded top, dark denim jeans and dark trainers.

The two witnesses are a white man in his 50s, bald and of a large build and a woman with blonde hair.

Det Insp Rebecca Duggan said: "We believe the man has seen the offender and despite appealing at the time, we have never found him.

"It's crucial the two of them come forward. The positions they were in, there is a very good chance they saw something.

"We want to reiterate what a shocking crime this was, committed in broad daylight against an 18-year-old woman on her own.

"She is doing well and being supported by the correct channels, but this was a very frightening experience for her at the time."

Police have trawled CCTV footage, and gathered door-to-door intelligence, as well as eliminating other possible offenders from the attack.

Police initially linked the attack to a sexual assault that happened in St Georges Road at 5.15am that morning, but have since discounted this.

Det Ch Insp Colin Larkin said: “It has been about a month since this young woman was left extremely traumatised at the hands of this man.

“We are continuing our efforts to find this man and arrest him.

“The two witnesses are not in any trouble, but we believe they might have seen what happened and as such could be crucial to us finding this man."

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 0161 856 1911 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.