CHARITIES are urging people returning home from a night in York to take extra care after a 16-year-old girl was raped by a stranger who offered her a lift.

The Press told on Saturday how the teenage victim was subjected to the terrifying ordeal in a car park between Law College and York Racecourse after she accepted a lift home from a stranger.

Police have released an e-fit of the man they are hunting, and they are now warning people to be careful when going home at night.

Paul Fawcett, of Victim Support, said: "The most important thing is never to send out the message that a victim is to blame when they have been attacked.

"We can offer all the safety advice in the world but, at the end of the day, the only person to blame for a rape is the perpetrator.

"This woman was doing what she thought was right at the time.

"Obviously our advice is not to get into a car with a stranger, but if you do then make sure somebody else knows what you are doing and where you are going before you get into the vehicle.

"That might not prevent an attack form happening, but it could be valuable evidence if it comes to court.

"Take their registration number and make sure one of your friends knows it.

"It may make someone think twice if you can tell them you have given someone their registration number."

A spokeswoman for personal safety charity The Suzy Lamplugh Trust said: "Our advice is simply not to get in a car with a stranger.

"People need to be particularly careful about how they get home after a night out because if they've been drinking they are more likely to take risks.

"If you are going out drinking with friends, make sure you've already arranged how you are going to get home before you go out, while you are sober, and stick together.

"If you're getting in a mini-cab make sure it is licensed. We've all come out of a club, heard somebody shout "mini-cab, love?" and jumped in without thinking about it."

The victim had left Toffs nightclub, in Toft Green, York, at 11.36pm on Sunday, and was walking down George Hudson Street when a man in a small silver hatchback saloon offered her a lift home.

The girl accepted and he drove to the car park and attacked her.

Anyone with information should phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 60 60 247, quoting incident number 1061420010.