A DRIVE to find a "hoodie" rapist who assaulted a young woman in a deserted churchyard intensified today.

Police are sifting through information after the Evening Press launched a poster campaign with a £2,000 reward to find the podgy-faced attacker.

And residents are backing our bid to track down the rapist before he can strike again.

Hundreds of posters showing the clean-shaven sex fiend are being displayed on buses and in bars and clubs across the city. It is hoped that reaching as wide an audience as possible will lead to the rapist being quickly tracked down.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said the inquiry was still ongoing but officers were looking at a number of lines of inquiry.

Officers are also awaiting the results of forensic tests to see whether traces of DNA will lead them to the attacker.

Residents in Fulford, where the woman in her twenties was pulled from the street at 3.45am, are living in fear of a second attack.

The Rev David Goodhew, vicar at St Oswald's Church where the rape happened on Sunday, August 21, said residents were "shocked and concerned" that the man was still on the loose.

He said: "We have been praying for the victim and will continue to do that. We certainly hope the culprit is caught quickly.

"This is generally a warm community and it is very distressing to have something like this happen - certainly a lot of people are upset.

"Members of the church are supporting the investigation in any way we can and the press is doing a very useful service in helping find the person who did this. We just hope the publicity will lead to the attacker being found soon."

First bus company commercial manager Peter Edwards said: "A surprisingly high proportion of the population of York use the buses and these people go out and see lots of things.

"We've put the posters up in the prominent position at the front of the bus and I'm sure it will spark someone to come forward. It is an effective way of getting a message across to a lot of people across the town."

First has provided £200 towards the reward offered, together with £800 from the Crimestoppers Trust, £500 from the Evening Press, £200 from nightclub Nexus, £300 from two anonymous York businesses.

Bus passengers backed the £2,000 reward scheme to find the Fulford churchyard rapist. People said spreading the net wide across the town was the best way of tracking down the hoodie attacker.

Edith Constable, 77, said: "I think it is a good idea. There must be someone out there who knows who it is.

"It's not safe to walk the streets any more and if you have to offer money to encourage people to come forward, then all well and good.

"I wouldn't go out alone at night. This is something that affects people of all ages, and both 14-year-old girls and pensioners are all under threat."

David Higgins, 40, a university lecturer, said: "Rapes do happen everywhere, although I would expect something like this more in a city like Leeds or Manchester.

"I think the poster campaign is a good idea and I hope it will lead the police to new information."

Pat Bell, 70, said: "I never go out at night any more. If I'm going out, a friend picks me up on my front doorstep.

"It is frightening for people of all ages and I think that by putting up these posters, someone will be persuaded to come forward.

"Fulford is normally a nice area - but to be honest it's not safe anywhere these days."

Paul Elliott, 26, a researcher, said: "It is a bit surprising for this to happen in a nice area like Fulford.

"Women should maybe look out for themselves and do everything they can to stay safe, such as paying for taxis instead of walking anywhere alone.

"I just hope that this attacker is caught."

Angela Fay, 34, a gardener, said: "I most definitely back a reward being offered. It's bad enough walking the streets at night without this man being on the loose.

"We have to do everything you to track down a man like this before he can do it again. I have two young boys and I worry about them, but if I had girls I really would be scared at the moment. I hope this poster campaign helps catch the man."

Updated: 10:17 Thursday, September 01, 2005