Women have been warned not to go out alone after dark in an English town after a series of three rapes and two abduction attempts over 10 days

BBC News:

Extra police patrols are now taking place in Northampton, after officers launched a hunt for a gang of South African sex attackers.

The latest victim was raped in the early hours of Monday morning and suffered serious head injuries.

The attackers were described as tall, black men in their early 20s.

They had South African accents and a blue BMW car and a light-coloured Fiat Punto were used in some of the attacks.

Police said the group was working in unison to abduct their victims.

Det Ch Insp John Jones, of Northamptonshire Police, appealed for any other women who may have been approached or attacked by the men to come forward.

"It has taken a lot of courage for these women to come forward. If there is anybody else please come forward so these men can be brought to justice," he said.

"We are asking all females to avoid being out alone at night or in the early hours of the morning. Use your common sense to keep yourself safe."

On 1 August attempts were made to abduct a 15-year-old girl as she was walking near Sol Central in the early hours of the morning.

Less than an hour later an 18-year-old walking in Horsemarket was forced into a car, driven to Duston and raped.

After police released details of these attacks an 18-year-old woman told how she had been raped a day earlier between 1230 and 0100 BST on 31 July.

She was outside a Pizza shop in Horseshoe Street when she was approached by a black man who put his arm around her waist and neck.

He walked her across Marefair into a side road and raped her on a grassy area.

On 3 August between 0130 and 150 BST a 25-year-old woman was walking across Cheyne Walk when a BMW stopped near her.

A man got out and followed the woman as she ran into Northampton Hospital car park.

He grabbed her and said he wanted to give her a lift home, but the woman said she was due to meet friends and ran into the hospital.

In the latest attack a 30-year-old woman was found with head injuries in Exeter Place, Northampton.

She had been hit on the head before being raped sometime before 0300 BST on Monday.

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