SHE had just popped into her local shop and was on her way home when the nightmare began.

As the woman in her twenties left the store in the village near York, a man stopped her and spoke to her.

He then followed her home, forced his way in and subjected her to a serious sexual assault.

The senior investigating officer, Detective Chief Inspector Patrick Twiggs, said: "It is the worst kind of offence you can imagine, and the victim has been left traumatised by it, which is why it is so important we catch this person as soon as possible."

He said the victim got off a bus in the village of Riccall, between York and Selby, shortly after 2pm on Wednesday, May 10, and went into the Costcutters store on Main Street, about 50 yards from the bus stop, and made some purchases.

As she left she was stopped by a man who spoke to her.

Det Chief Insp Twiggs said the man then followed her along Main Street to her home, just a few hundred yards away.

"He then forced his way into the woman's house and subjected her to a serious sexual assault," he said, adding there was no one else in the house at the time.

The attacker is described as white, in his late teens or early twenties and between 5ft 5ins and 5ft 8ins tall.

He had short dark hair, and was wearing a black T-shirt with buttons up to the neckline and dark tracksuit bottoms.

He had a black bike with him, which police said may have a been BMX-style cycle.

Officers are appealing for the public's help in identifying two men who may be valuable witnesses, whose image was taken from CCTV footage in Costcutters.

It reveals the two, who visited the shop that afternoon, and who police believe may have information to assist their investigation.

The first is a young man, possibly in his early twenties, wearing a dark long-sleeved top, dark bottoms and a light baseball cap. He has dark hair and sideburns.

The second is an older man, aged possibly in his late fifties, also wearing a light baseball cap with a horizontally striped jumper and dark bottoms.

Police are appealing to anyone who was in the village at the time who may have any information about the attack, or who saw these two men, to come forward.

Det Chief Insp Twiggs said: "Were you on a bus which stopped in Riccall, or did you visit the shop during the afternoon?

"Do you know who these two men are?

"People in the village will know the lady in question and may recall seeing her and seeing somebody else nearby."

He said it was important that they "eliminate these men from our investigation".

Anyone with information is urged to phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060 247, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Village in shock after attack

Det Chief Insp Twiggs said he believed the first contact the woman had with her attacker was when she left the shop.

She had got on the bus in Selby and arrived in Riccall, at the bus stop almost directly opposite the shop in Main Street, between 2.15 and 2.20pm.

Staff in Costcutter said they were shocked and upset by what had happened.

One woman said: "Everyone in the village knows everyone else, so most people know the person who was attacked. Everyone is really upset about it. I heard someone followed her home from the shop. It's terrifying."

A man who lives locally said: "I don't know much about what happened but my daughter knows the girl. It's horrific."

Another woman said: "It's absolutely shocking. You never imagine that something like this will happen round here because it's such a quiet little place."

Updated: 09:48 Wednesday, May 17, 2006