A MAN has been arrested over the rape of two young women in a wooded area.

In March a young woman from Lewes reported to police that she had been raped in the woods off Court Road, Lewes, the previous month.

The rape took place near the railway line just east of Lewes station on Thursday, February 23, between 12.30pm and 1pm.

A 19-year-old man from Uckfield, who is known to the woman, was arrested by officers in March and interviewed in connection with the offence.

In the last month another woman has come forward to say that she was the victim of a similar assault in the same location.

She said it happened on or around September 29, 2015, when she was 16.

The same man, who is also known to the second victim, has now been re-arrested and interviewed in connection with the 2015 offence.

He is currently on police bail until June 15 while officers continue their investigations.

Investigators are asking for any witnesses to come forward.

Shortly after the 2015 attack, a man, who was not connected to the incident, was walking nearby.

He picked up the girl’s bag thinking it had been left accidentally.

The girl then caught up with him and he returned it.

Police are keen to speak to him as a witness.

Detective Constable Steve Nutley, of the East Sussex safeguarding investigations unit, said: “A man walking through the area, and believed to have been unaware of what was happening nearby, picked up the victim’s bag thinking it was lost property, and was about to take it to Lewes police station when she caught up with him and he handed it back.

“If you saw any suspicious activity around that area during those periods, and if you were the man who mistakenly picked up the bag, please email 101@sussex.pnn.police.uk or report online to sussex.police.uk/contact-us/response-to-appeal/ quoting serial 839 of 07/03.”