POLICE say an appeal in The Northern Echo has helped them catch a man suspected of assaulting a 41-year-old woman walker last weekend.

A reader came forward soon after the Echo published an account of the alleged attack, which happened in the Etherley Lane area of Bishop Auckland, County Durham, in the early hours of Sunday.

Detective Sergeant Brian Wilkes, of Bishop Auckland CID, said yesterday: "Following the article, someone came forward who realised they had seen something significant.

"As a result, we have arrested a 19-year-old man and charged him with attempted robbery.

"He will appear before Sedgefeld magistrates on Wednesday.

"If it had not been for The Northern Echo, we would not have been given the information we needed. It was a good result."