Police investigating the rape of a woman in a car park in Cheadle have issued a CCTV image of a possible witness.
The attack happened on Friday 28th August at around 7pm, when a woman in her late 20s was parked up in a car at the far end of the John Lewis car park in Cheadle.
A man opened the car door, pulled the woman away from her car into some nearby bushes and raped her.
Her attacker then ran off into the undergrowth in the general direction towards Wilmslow Road.
The CCTV image released by police shows a person walking across the John Lewis overflow car park at approximately the same time the offence took place. Footage shows the individual walking from the direction of John Lewis towards the pathway on the far side of the overflow car park, which leads towards Etchells Road.
Detective Inspector Roger Edwards from GMP's Stockport division said: "Since this attack was reported to us, we have been doing everything in our power to try and trace the man responsible.
"We have been offering all the support we can to the young lady that was raped, who is understandably devastated by what has happened to her.
"However, she has courageously been working closely with police to help us with our enquiries as much as she can and we now have an updated evofit of the suspect that we are issuing to the public.
"Through CCTV enquiries, we have also identified a possible witness we would like to speak to, that was in the car park at the same time the attack took place. The individual, possibly a woman, is wearing a light coloured top and dark trousers and carrying what appears to be a handbag.
"I would like to reassure this individual in the CCTV image that you are not in any kind of trouble, but we are eager to speak with you as you may have vital information that could assist our investigation.
"This attack is one that has shocked the local community and we are grateful for the widespread support and calls we are receiving from the public to help us try and catch this offender."
On the evening of Friday 4th September, a week since the woman was raped, officers from the investigation team and neighbourhood policing team visited John Lewis and the attack location to speak to people in the area and hand out leaflets to remind the public of the incident.
The attacker is described as an Asian man, approximately 40 years old, medium build, with black hair, heavily pock-marked and open-pored skin on his face, with a thick black mono-brow, wearing black jogging bottoms.
Anyone with any information is asked to contact police at Stockport on 0161 856 9770 or contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.
