DETECTIVES hunting the men who carried out a double rape in Ipswich told today how the victim was snatched from the street by strangers.Meanwhile women in the area today told how they are frozen by fear and haunted by feelings of terror.

DETECTIVES hunting the men who carried out a double rape in Ipswich told today how the victim was snatched from the street by strangers.

Meanwhile women in the area today told how they are frozen by fear and haunted by feelings of terror.

One woman today told how she had moved from London to Ipswich in the hope of forging a better life for her and her family in the belief it was a safer place to live.

Now the fear of another attack is constantly on her mind.

During the attack early yesterday the rapists forced their victim into a churchyard and subjected her to a terrifying sex ordeal.

The man leading the rape investigation, Detective Inspector John Quinton, described how the 36-year-old victim was walking home from the bus station near Tower Ramparts on Tuesday evening when she was approached by two men near the junction of Soane Street and Bolton Lane.

The woman had just passed the pair, who had been sitting on a bench at the entrance to St Margaret's Church.

"The victim was physically held and led by the two men into the churchyard of St Margaret's. They then raped her," Det Insp Quinton said.

After the attack, the men left the terrified woman and she made her way home to seek help from a friend who called the police.

Detectives have urged anyone who was in the area of St Margaret's Green on Tuesday night contact them.

"So far we have had a good response from our appeals with more than 15 calls received but we still need to hear from anyone who was in the vicinity of St Margaret's Green and Bolton Lane between 9.30pm and midnight on Tuesday," Det Insp Quinton said.

"It is possible that people may have seen either the victim or the offenders and any detail, no matter how small, may prove to be very relevant to this inquiry."

The rapists were both white and in their early 20s. One had short dark hair, longer on the top and cut in a "messy", possibly gelled, style. The second man had short, dark, neat hair. Both wore smart casual clothing.

The victim was not aware of any unusual accent.

Within the last 12 months there have been three unsolved rapes in Ipswich.

These include two separate attacks within a few hundred yards from St Margaret's Green.

Although police stress it is far too early to connect the latest rape with the assault on a 92-year-old woman in Cobbold Street last March residents said they will live on their nerves until the culprits are caught.

If you can help catch those responsible then telephone 01473 613500 or Crimestoppers confidentially on 0800 555111.