A woman has been raped by a stranger in Southampton.

The attack happened on Southampton Common, near Cemetery Road, shortly after 05:30 GMT on Saturday.

The area was cordoned off to allow forensic teams to examine the scene but the restrictions have now been lifted.

Anyone who saw or heard anything or who has dashcam, CCTV or doorbell footage is urged to contact Hampshire Constabulary.

The woman, in her 30s, is being supported by specialist officers and police said they had deployed "significant resources" to the investigation.

Neighbourhood Policing Team officers have also been patrolling the area throughout the weekend.

Det Insp Graham Slack said: "This was an extremely distressing incident for the woman involved.

"We have been, and are continuing to follow up on all available lines of inquiry, including speaking to local people, carrying out house-to-houseienquiries and reviewing CCTV and other footage.

"If you saw or heard anything in this area between the times stated, no matter how small you believe this to be, your information could be crucial to our investigation, so please contact us at the earliest opportunity."