AN indecent assault on a York teenager could have been avoided if the area where the attack took place had better lighting, according to a campaigner.

Kevin Horner, 56, had been calling for improved street lights in Love Lane for around two months before a man indecently assaulted a York teenager as she walked home from work.

The brave victim managed to fight off her attacker by hitting him with her handbag.

But Mr Horner, a clerk, who lives in nearby Albemarle Road, said if City of York Council had put in better lighting, such an attack could well have been avoided.

Mr Horner said: "Why can't they put lighting in so you can see where you are going down there? Penny pinching, that's why.

"Now is the time for the council to act so that people like this man can't hide in dark corners and jump out on people."

Mr Horner said he first contacted the council after using Love Lane and the railway footbridge as a short- cut on his way to a 21st birthday celebration.

Last Wednesday, The Press first published the police efit of the man, in the hope that someone might recognise him.

York Police spokesman Colin Ventress warned that the attack could have been "far more serious" and said that they were still investigating the incident.

The 18-year-old woman was walking alone along the lane, just off Dalton Terrace, near The Mount School, in York, at about 6.10pm on Friday, January 5.

Mr Ventress said on the night of the attack the teenager walked past the man in the e-fit, who is described as being in his early 20s.

He grabbed hold of her and pushed her towards a wall in a corner close to the bridge at the end of the lane.

The man then asked the young woman if she was "up for sex". When she replied that she was not, the attacker grabbed hold of her wrist.

But after a short struggle she managed to hit her attacker with a bag she was carrying. The man then let go of her and she ran away from the area.

The attacker is described as white, in his early 20s, about 5ft 9in tall and of thin build, with blond hair and a pale complexion.

At the time of the attack he had a recent graze on his left cheekbone. Anyone with information about the incident or man in the e-fit is asked to phone York Police on 0845 60 60 247.

A City of York Council spokesman said: "Unfortunately, the council has no budget available for new street lighting schemes and directs its resources at maintaining existing lighting.

"However, proposals of this kind are usually referred on to the appropriate ward committee so that they can take a view on whether or not to allocate funding.

"This involves consulting local residents on whether they think this would be a good use of committee funding."