Woman raped in car park of Cheadle John Lewis store Published duration 1 September 2015

image copyright Google image caption The attack happened at about 19:00 BST on Friday, police said

A woman has been dragged from her vehicle and raped in the car park of a John Lewis store, police have said.

The victim, who is in her late 20s, was attacked at the retailer's branch in Cheadle, Stockport, at about 19:00 BST on Friday.

Her attacker, described as a "monobrowed" Asian man aged about 40, dragged her into bushes before sexually assaulting her, police said.

Greater Manchester Police said she had reported the attack on Monday.

The woman had been parked near a cut-through, which joins the car park to the A34 Wilmslow-Handforth bypass, the force said.

Staff 'shocked'

Appealing for witnesses, Det Insp Richard Ennis said officers hoped the suspect's "distinctive" description would "jog someone's memory".

The man was said to be of medium build, with black hair, and heavily pock-marked, open-pored skin on his face.

He was wearing black jogging bottoms at the time of the attack and sported a "thick, black monobrow", Det Insp Ennis said.

"We believe that the area close to where the victim was parked in her car is used as a cut-through between Wilmslow-Handforth bypass and the junction of Wilmslow Road and Etchells Road.

"We are appealing for anyone that may have seen a man fitting this description hanging around this area, to please get in touch," he said.

The company said the incident had left staff at the store "shocked".

"We are doing everything we can to support the police in their investigations," added a spokeswoman.