THIS man is being hunted by detectives in connection with an early morning sex attack on a woman near a Bolton town centre subway.

The 47-year-old victim was walking up Churchbank from the direction of the subway when a man - who concealed his identity by wearing a hood over his head - pushed her over from behind.

He then indecently assaulted the terrified woman before he fled.

The attack, which happened at around 9.30am last Friday, left the woman badly shaken but she was not injured.

Police have released CCTV pictures of a man, taken from council cameras just seconds before the attack, in the hope that Bolton Evening News readers will be able to identify him.

Two witnesses who saw the attack said the man fled across a path that runs behind the back of Bolton Parish Church.

He is described as around five feet six inches tall with cropped hair and of slim build.

He was wearing a jade green jacket with a grey hooded top underneath and blue jeans or tracksuit bottoms.

Police say the area has been the scene of other attacks on women and there has been a spate of indecent exposures by a man over recent weeks.

Det Sgt Bill Crittenden of Bolton Police today warned women using the subway to be on their guard.

He said: "It is a very quiet area and we have had other incidents of indecent exposure down there.

"This was a particularly nasty assault at a time when it was obvious that other people would be in that area.

"But the attacker appears not to have taken that into account."

He added: "The woman was lucky that she was not more seriously hurt as she was pushed over very hard."

Anyone with information is asked to call the Operational Policing Unit on 0161 856 5593 or Crimestoppers anonymously on free phone 0800 555111 quoting Crime reference number 077955U/04.