A YOUNG woman was raped in an alleyway in Perivale after getting into what she believed to be a mini cab in the early hours of Saturday July 14.

The 20-year-old left the The Crown pub in Cricklewood Broadway at about 1.45am and got into the white car asking to be taken to her home in Brent.

She became suspicious of the route the driver was taking before he pulled over into an alleyway off Federal Road, Perivale, where he threatened and then raped her.

A short time later two men helped her from the car and back to Federal Road, where she phoned a friend to get help.

Detective Inspector Simon Moy from Ealing Police Sapphire Unit said: "This was a deeply traumatic and horrific ordeal for the victim and we are treating this incident very seriously.

"The two men who came to the aide of the victim may have vital information to help us identify the suspect before anyone else can become his victim and we particularly want to appeal to those men to come forward."

The attacker is described as Asian, and between 25 and 35-years old. He was around 5ft 8 inches tall, of stocky build and with short dark hair. He was clean shaven.

He spoke in broken English with a foreign accent and was wearing a light-coloured polo type top.

Anyone with information, especially those around the Crown pub at about 1.45am or Federal Road at approximately 3am should contact Ealing Borough Sapphire Unit on 02082461139 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.