A POTENTIAL rape was foiled by firefighters after a fat man dragged a woman into a bush.

The victim, in her late 30s, was left terrified and with minor injuries by the incident at about midnight on Friday in Castle Road, Kidderminster.

The woman, who had been to the Zanzibar nightclub, was standing alone outside the tower at the fire station when she was approached by a man who got out of a car which had pulled up.

He started talking to her but when he asked for a kiss and she declined he grabbed her arm and dragged her violently into nearby bushes, telling her he was going to rape her.

He was described as white, fat, and with "very dark hair".

The man ran away after firefighters on duty in the station heard the commotion and came out to investigate. They did not see him.

Police are trying to trace a silver or grey Ford Fiesta - or similar car - seen in the area at the time, occupied by at last one man and one woman, to eliminate them from the investigation.

Anyone with information about the incident can call Kidderminster Police on 01562 820888 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.