A police manhunt has been launched for a convicted sex offender who "presents a particular danger to women and young children" after he absconded from prison.

Police have said Paul Robson, 56, "could be anywhere in the country" after he was reported missing from HMP North Sea Camp in Lincolnshire on Sunday morning.

Robson, originally from Newcastle, was jailed in 2000 after he entered a woman’s home through a cat flap before tying her up, putting a pillowcase over her head, and brutally assaulting her while holding a knife to her throat.

He is described as a white male with a bald head, a long goatee beard and is of a slim build.

HMP North Sea Camp, near Boston, is a category D men’s open prison that holds a large proportion of sex offenders and those serving indeterminate sentences.

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Cox, of Lincolnshire Police, said: "We are still working tirelessly to locate Paul Robson and are still working through numerous lines of inquiry.

"He could be anywhere in the country, and we are really keen to hear from the public with potential sightings so we can take this man off our streets.

"Robson is a dangerous sex offender and while he presents a particular danger to women and young children, I believe he can cause real harm to anyone he comes across.

"If you see Robson, please do not approach him, and do not try to apprehend him yourself. Call 999 immediately.

"We are really grateful for all the shares so far and rest assured we will continue our efforts to find and arrest him. Thank you."