POLICE have released e-fits of two men they would like to speak to in connection with an assault against a woman.

She had been walking along Moreway in Rainhill at around 1.35pm on Thursday, January 23 when she noticed a man acting suspiciously outside a house.

He was joined by a second man who got out the back of a black Renault Megane car.

The men followed her up a nearby driveway when one of them attacked her. She was left with a minor injury to her left arm and was left badly shaken.

The first man is described as being white, aged between 19 and 25 with a skinny build, strawberry blond hair and a ginger coloured goatee. He was wearing an orange coloured hooded top with a white zipper.

The second offender is described as having an olive complexion, black hair and a thin moustache. He was around 6ft 2in tall of a large build and in his late 20s to early 30s. He was wearing a dark coloured baseball cap a dark American baseball jacket and white trainers.

A third man who was the driver of the car is described as being in his late 20s to early 30s with an olive complexion thick dark hair and of a large build. He was wearing a dark plain baseball cap and a dark coloured hooded top. Shortly before the assault the black Renault Megane had been travelling very slowly along Mooreway from the direction of Chapel Lane.

The car is described as having tinted back windows with silver alloys and silver wheel trims. Officers are keen to speak to anyone who may have seen the car in the area around the time of the incident or who may recognise the two men in the e-fits.

DC Ellie Devers said: "This was a serious attack on a woman who had spotted these men acting suspiciously around a house. I would like to take this opportunity to reassure people in St Helens that we are treating this incident extremely seriously.

"We are keen to trace the offenders and I would urge anyone who may have witnessed this incident or anyone who recognises the men pictured in these e-fits to get in touch.”

"Thankfully, incidents such as this are rare and we are doing everything we can to find the people responsible. I would appeal to anyone with information which could assist detectives with their investigation to contact St Helens CID on 0151 777 6812, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.