The teenage girl was allegedly attacked on Tuesday as she walked through the village cemetery in Barming near Maidstone. Police have said the suspect is known to her

A man in his 50s has been arrested on suspicion of rape after a teenage girl was attacked in a cemetery in Kent.

The alleged graveyard rape happened on Tuesday afternoon when a young teenage girl was walking in the village cemetery in Barming near Maidstone.

Detectives say the suspect was known to her.

Police have now appealed for a woman who was walking two dogs in the cemetery on Tuesday afternoon, to contact them urgently as she may have vital information about what happened.

A spokesman for Kent Police said on Friday: “The incident is reported to have happened between 2.45pm and 4.30pm on Tuesday in Oakwood Cemetery, near Oakapple Lane.

“The teenage victim and the man, aged in his 50s, who are known to each other, walked into the cemetery before he is alleged to have assaulted her. Following inquiries investigating officers are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which is being treated as isolated.

“In particular, police would like to talk to a woman who was seen walking two dogs in the same area at the time of the incident.

“Officers have since arrested a man in connection with their inquiries. He has been bailed until Sunday January 23 while further inquiries are carried out.”

His arrest comes after another man, also aged in his 50s, was detained by detectives investigating an attempted rape in Hampshire.

Police said that the two incidents were not connected and in both cases the suspect had been released pending further inquiries.

Detectives have appealed to the public for help as they investigated the attempted rape of young woman aged in her 20s, who was attacked beside Hermitage Stream in Havant.

A spokesman for Hampshire Police said: “A 21-year-old woman was walking near Hermitage Stream by Purbrook Way when a man attempted to rape her before she managed to run away.

“We have been following a number of lines of inquiry and would now like to hear from anyone with any information that may assist our investigation. Were you in the area at the time? Perhaps you saw a man acting suspiciously or saw/heard what happened at the time or in the aftermath? Maybe you were driving through the area and have Dash-cam footage which may assist our investigation?

“We are particularly keen to speak to a man who was seen in the area at the time in connection with this incident. He is described as white. aged approximately in his 40s-50, approximately 6ft tall and of stocky build.

“He was wearing a dark coloured beanie hat, a dark neck snood which covered his face from his neck up to just below his eyes, a dark coloured waterproof jacket that went down to his mid-thighs, jeans and leather gloves.

“A 57-year-old man from Havant was arrested on suspicion of attempted rape and has been released under investigation while our enquiries continue.”