A "HOODIE" sex attacker is being hunted by police after seriously assaulting a woman in a York graveyard.

Officers were today searching the area around St Martin's Church, in Micklegate, after reports that a 36-year-old York woman was assaulted early yesterday.

Acting Detective sergeant Carl Nelson said the victim had spent the night in the nearby Reflex bar, before leaving with a man. The attack is believed to have happened between 1am and 4am.

The detective said: "We are investigating an allegation of a serious sexual assault and with any report, it's something we take very seriously.

"We are tasked to investigate that offence to make sure that the residents and businesses of York are safe."

It is the second "hoodie" sex attack to take place in a churchyard.

In August the Evening Press launched a £2,000 reward fund to catch a rapist who dragged his victim into St Oswald's Churchyard, in Fulford.

While he still remains at large, detectives today ruled out any link between the two incidents.

The woman victim of the latest attack is described as being white, 5ft 6in tall, with blonde, wavy highlighted hair.

She was wearing black plastic trousers, a black plastic jacket and a white polo shirt. She was at Reflex - an 80s theme-bar which is a popular haunt for city centre revellers - from about 10pm on Saturday, with two other women.

The attacker is describ-ed as being a white male, aged between 26 and 30, with black spiky gelled hair, blue eyes, a smooth complexion and a chunky, but not fat, build. He was wearing a black hooded jacket and dark trousers.

Acting Det Sgt Nelson said: "We are appealing for witnesses who may have seen or heard anything suspicious in that area.

"We are also interested in witnesses who would be able to describe the other people who the victim was in company with, particularly men."

Sergeant Neil Wilkinson said the area would remain sealed off until a search team became available.

Sgt Wilkinson said: "Normally, it would not have been cordoned-off for as long as that, but we're waiting for a qualified search team to arrive.

"We've had to keep the area really sterile throughout the day."

Local people said today they had seen the police presence, but did not know what it was about.

Updated: 08:41 Tuesday, November 15, 2005