GETTY Police have now launched a criminal investigation department into the attack

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The 60-year-old woman had left her home in Jena, Thuringia on Friday morning at around 6am on her way to work. But she was followed by a 20-year-old foreigner, who she says spoke “broken” German, and was attacked in the street.

He dragged her into a driveway between Am Steiger Street and Philosophenweg Street, where he launched into a brutal attack and sexually assaulted her. Fighting back, she managed to escape and ran out into the street - almost being hit by a red car driving past.

GETTY Police are appealing for witnesses

Her attacker, a Mediterranean-looking man, tried to follow her but fled when he saw the car. The driver of the car swerved around the woman, but kept driving without stopping to help. Police have now launched a criminal investigation department into the attack, and are now looking for the man.

Cologne: Sex Attacks and Robberies Tue, January 12, 2016 Thirty-one suspects, including 18 asylum seekers, are under investigation over offences including sexual assault and theft in Cologne on New Year's Eve. Far right protestors in Lepzig have rallied against refugees and German chancellor Angela Merkel. Play slideshow Reuters•Getty 1 of 22 Protestors in Lepzig rally after over 100 women were sexually assualted on New Year's Eve

He has been described as thing, about 170cm tall and was wearing an orange hooded jacket with dark shades on the sides and was unshaven. The police are also looking for the driver and other witnesses. The attack comes just over a month after a 69-year-old pensioner suffered a harrowing sexual assault while she was out walking in Kellinghusen, a small town with a population of just 8,000 people. She noticed she was being approached by a young boy on a bicycle, who approached the woman and tried to kiss her.

GETTY This is not the first incident an elderly woman was attacked