Walking across an Albury footbridge on Tuesday night ended in a horror story for a 17-year-old girl, who was grabbed, dragged into the bushes and sexually assaulted.
Albury police are searching for three men involved in the reported assault, which occurred on the Dean Street footbridge shortly before 6.20pm.
The teenager was walking across the footbridge when she noticed three men – unknown to her – were following her.
In a terrifying turn, two of them grabbed the girl and dragged her into a nearby bush. After brandishing a knife and threatening the teenager, one of the men sexually assaulted her.
After the horrific attack, the men ran off along Dean Street and the girl called police. She was assessed at the scene by paramedics before being taken to hospital.
A crime scene was established and investigations by Albury police began.
Officers cordoned off the bike path between Centenary and Kenilworth streets and established a crime scene, with several police scouring bushes and grass with torches.
The bridge leading from the train station to the bike path was also cordoned off.
Officers door knocked homes and police are expected to return to the scene this morning.
The woman had no obvious signs of physical injury when taken to hospital, according to police.
Officers were working to access security vision from sites around Dean Street and were patrolling streets in search of possible offenders last night.
Police said they would know more about what had occurred once they spoke to the victim.
Resident Dylan Savige walked the area after reading reports of the incident on social media.
“I walk down this track every day,” he said.
“I thought the more people out there looking, the better.”
Mr Savige said there were a group of men who drank near the bike track each day and “a couple of characters along the overpass every now and then” but said the area was normally quiet.
As they continue their investigations, police would like to speak to anyone who witnesses suspicious activity in the area at the time of the incident.
Anyone with information is urged to come forward and contact Albury Police via Crime Stoppers by calling 1800 333 000 or using the online reporting page.
More to come.
