A 44-year-old man has been arrested after a woman was held at knifepoint and raped in Botley. 

The man was arrested earlier today in connection with the rape in Eastbourne, Sussex and is currently being quizzed by officers, police said. 

The force said a woman was raped in Raleigh Park, off Harcourt Hill on Tuesday evening. 

A large police presence has dominated the area ever since and a 38-year-old man was arrested and then released without charge. 

The victim, a woman, was walking along Harcourt Hill when she was forced at knifepoint into Raleigh Park around 8pm on Tuesday.

The balaclava-clad man raped her in what police have described as an 'appalling offence'.

The rapist is described as a white muscular man, around 30-years-old, just under 6ft tall. He was wearing dark black clothing with a hood up, and a balaclava covering the lower part of his face.

Despite the arrest police are continuing to investigate the incident and appealed for more information. 

They were also seeking any information about vehicles being driven 'eratically' on the A34 northbound near Botley or Wytham, after 8.30pm on Tuesday. 

They also said drivers may have also seen items thrown from a vehicle.

Over the past few days officers have conducted house-to-house enquiries and combed the area, setting up a cordon and putting up two forensic tents.