A rape victim who wrote two anonymous letters to the police has been urged to come forward, with police saying a Truro man has now been eliminated from their enquires.

The victim has stated the rape took place in Taunton in 1968. She had been walking home when she was offered a lift and was then taken to a quiet location and attacked. The details are taken from an anonymous letter sent to the police and detectives now need the victim to contact them.

First contact from the victim was received in 2012 when she contacted the Crimestoppers charity but at that time there was too little information for an investigation.

Last December the victim wrote anonymously to Devon and Cornwall Police again providing the basic circumstances of the assault and suggesting a man from Truro was responsible.

Detective Inspector Becky Jarvis said: “This woman has contacted us twice to tell us about the attack and we now need to speak to her to find out what more she can tell us. We have conducted enquiries to try and identify her with the little information we have but that has been unsuccessful. It is clear she is beginning to feel able to talk about the incident and I need her to contact us so that we can support her and investigate the attack.

“If you are the woman who wrote these letters. please get in touch with us. We will treat the information we get discreetly and with the utmost care – so please give us a call.”

The author of the letter, or anyone who has information which might help us, should contact DI Becky Jarvis on 101.