A TEENAGE girl has told police how a man held a gun to her head and said he was going to shoot before attempting to rape her.

The man forced the 17-year-old into a nearby back alley in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, hurled her to the ground and kicked her in the head before trying to rape her over the bonnet of a Land Rover.

The teenage girl, who was returning home alone after a night out with friends when she was attacked on Monday, was described as being in a state of severe shock by police yesterday.

She had been taken to Dryburn Hospital in Durham City with head injuries after the attack. The girl is now recovering with her family in the Chester-le-Street area.

The teenager left her friends at the bottom end of Front Street at 11pm and walked through a cut between Clem's Fish Shop and a nearby car park and on to Osborne Road.

When she got to a pelican crossing, she became aware of someone behind her. At the junction of Osborne Road and Avendale Terrace, she was grabbed from behind and the attacker pressed the handgun against her head. The man forced her into the back alley where he tried to rape her but failed in the ensuing struggle.

When he ran away the girl, who was 5ft 10in, slim and wearing a baseball cap, ran into a nearby Indian Take-away to raise the alarm.

Detective inspector Andy Reddick said the use of a gun was highly unusual in sex attacks.

He said the man was believed to have been drinking alone in the town centre from very early in the evening in what was a quiet night in the town.

Det Insp Reddick said: "This was a vicious, sustained attack. We have a reasonably good description and we would urge anyone who saw anything, or any wife, mother, landlord or whoever who thinks they might know who this man, to come forward."

The attacker was described as a white, male, stocky, about 5ft 10in with short darkish hair. He wore silver framed glasses, a dark top with a noticeable hoop across the chest and light-coloured trousers.

Anyone with information should contact CID on 0191-388 4311 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.