A 49-year-old man is today recovering from minor head injuries following a daylight attack on an Ipswich street – the third assault under police investigation in the first four days of the New Year.

By James Fraser

A 49-year-old man is today recovering from minor head injuries following a daylight attack on an Ipswich street – the third assault under police investigation in the first four days of the New Year.

The victim, who came from the Ipswich area, was discovered lying at the junction of Wherstead Road with Tyler Street and Vernon Street shortly before 3pm yesterday.

Paramedics attended and took him to Ipswich Hospital where he was treated for cuts and bruises to the head.

Police are continuing to hunt for clues to a brutal sexual assault on a 26-year-old woman the early hours of New Year's Day.

A picture of the large shoulder bag she was carrying – described by police as black and displaying a Head logo – has been released as detectives form a clearer picture of the woman's movements before she was attacked.

The victim was walking home after a night out in the town along the Fore Street/Neptune Quay area of Ipswich at 1am. She later woke up in the front garden of a house in Cavendish Street.

Now police believe she was spotted close to the Vodka Bar in Neptune Quay and near to the Neptune Quay flats around 1am on New Year's Day.

When she woke up, she had facial injuries including two black eyes, a broken nose, bruising and a medical examination showed she had been sexually assaulted.

Det Insp Neville Farthing said: "We are trying to piece together what happened between 1am and 6am on New Year's morning. We are working with our victim hoping she will recall more details.

"Members of the public may have saw her with or without others in the area and we need to hear from them as a matter of urgency."

Police have taken the unusual step of releasing the details of the victim in a bid to hunt down the attacker.

She is 5ft 4ins tall, of slight build, with black bobbed hair and was wearing dark clothing, black trousers and carrying a large shoulder bag.

People who saw the woman, wearing a black imitation fir coat, in the areas between 1 am and 6 am, or the attacker, should telephone Det Sgt Duncan Shepherd on 01473 383187 or Ipswich CID Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Detectives are hunting those responsible for punching and smashing a bottle over the head of a passer-by who tried to intervene in an argument.

The man needed treatment for a deep cut to his back and shoulder.

The victim, a 24-year-old man, was walking along Princes Street, between Lloyds TSB Bank and the Corn Exchange at around 2.10am on New Year's Day when he noticed two men being abusive to two youths.

He intervened and asked them to stop but one of the men punched him in the face and the second man smashed a bottle over his head. The first man continued to abuse the victim and ran off towards the town centre with his fellow attacker.

The victim met up with his girlfriend who found that he had sustained a deep cut to his back and shoulder. He was taken to hospital and received treatment for his injuries.

The two males are white, 6ft and 5ft 8ins tall, in their 20s. One is of medium to stocky build, dark brown cropped hair, dark moustache and wearing dark clothing. The other is of slim build, short brown hair and wearing a dark jacket.

Police are particularly keen to hear from the two youths who were initially being threatened by the men or anyone else who was in the area and may have witnessed the incident.

Calls should be made to Pc Julian Ditcham at Ipswich Police on 01473 613500 or Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111.