KEY POINTS:
Police are praising three women who ended a "brazen" sexual assault after responding to the victim's screams.
The group pushed away the 19-year-old woman's attacker and chased him when he fled.
Detective Senior Sergeant Chris Page said the woman had been crossing Hamilton's Claudelands Bridge about 4.30 pm when she was attacked.
A man dragged her off the footpath into bushes on the eastern side of the river.
"Despite struggling violently she was forced to endure indecencies before members of the public came to her aid," Mr Page said.
"This brazen attack was stopped when the victim was assisted by three women who responded to her screams, one of whom pushed the offender off the victim."
Mr Page said more members of the public arrived to help and called the police, while the three women attempted to chase the attacker.
However, the man ran off down to Opoia Rd where he was lost after running through properties.
- NZHERALD STAFF
