DOZENS of residents have attended a drop-in session to seek reassurance from police following the rape of an 18-year-old woman in a field near their homes.

The two-hour event, which started at 5pm, was held at Sanderson Court Community House, in Chapelfields, close to where the attack happened on February 20, in a field that links Westfield Place and Grange Lane.

Residents were able to speak to Inspector Colin Moreton and his safer neighbourhood team, who were handing out free panic alarms, funded by the local ward committee, to scare off potential attackers.

The event was organised by Chapelfields Residents’ Association and Ashley Parker, who set up a Find The Westfield Attacker group on the social networking website Facebook.

Mr Parker, 27, who lived in Westfield Place for 20 years before moving to Kingsway West, said: “There is a lot of fear in the community. A young woman has been attacked and there is a rapist on the loose. “Everybody is constantly looking over their shoulder and until this attacker has been put away we are all going to be living in fear.”

He said he had received between 20 and 30 emails from people who thought they recognised the man depicted in the E-fit that police have released of the suspect.

“I have passed all this information on to the police,” he said. “Through the Facebook site a lot of people have also come forward to help distribute leaflets and put up posters.

“I’ve even had emails from people in Leeds, Scarborough and Australia asking if they can help. It shows the support that people are willing to give.”

One local resident who attended the drop-in session was 25-year-old Natalie Jervis, of Bramham Avenue.

She said: “I used to take the dog for a walk on that field, but I don’t any more. It never used to bother me going out when it’s dark, but I never go out anymore. It’s too unnerving.”

City of York Council leader, Coun Andrew Waller, who also attended the event, praised the Find The Westfield Attacker group on Facebook.

He said: “It’s the first time I have seen Facebook used as a way of communicating directly into people’s houses. It has made people feel part of the campaign to catch this person and it has been a powerful tool.”

Anybody with information to help the investigation is asked to phone North Yorkshire Police on 0845 6060247.