Police hunting the Nuneaton sex attacker who raped an 18-year-old at knifepoint last week have brought in a “Cracker” expert to profile the offender.

An offender profiler and a behavioural analyst have been brought in to try and draw up a profile of the type of person who might commit this kind of offence.

Officers are piecing all the information together, and are hoping to issue an artist’s impression from sightings next week.

The offender is described as having a big nose pock-marked face, 5ft 10in and is stockily-built.

He looked scruffy and was wearing a burnt orange woollen knitted crew-necked long-sleeved jumper, a red-checked, collared open-neck shirt and dark trousers.

More than 800 people have been interviewed by a team of officers, which has been expanded to 50 as the hunt grows.

And they have had reports of sightings of the suspect in the area before and after the attack in Weddington Fields at 5.30pm on Friday.

Police said a man fitting the description of the offender was seen on the opposite side of the railway track between 4pm and 4.30pm.

There was another sighting at 5.50pm and at 8.30pm at the start of the footpath next to the railway line on the Weddington playing fields side of the track.

Police have also renewed their appeals for two men seen at the time to come forward.

Det Supt Vernon Jones, who is leading the investigation, said that two men who saw the victim either side of the attack are being urged to come forward as they could hold vital clues.

One man, who was riding a bike, spoke to the girl shortly before the attack as she was about the climb over a gate and help her attacker in a quest to find a lost puppy by the railway line.

The other was walking his dog along the path she used to escape following her ordeal.

Det Supt Jones said neither men are suspects, but they might hold vital information.

Anyone with information should call the incident room on 01926 415798.