PARENTS were “horrified” by the rape of a 14-year-old girl in a nature reserve near their homes.

Yesterday Sussex Police appealed for witnesses after the girl was attacked by a stranger at 2pm in the Beacon Hill Nature Reserve, on Sheep Walk between Ovingdean and Rottingdean on Wednesday.

Natasha Dahlberg, of Beacon Hill Road which overlooks the field, said: “I cannot believe this has happened, it is just awful.

“We heard about it from The Argus and I think it’s a horrific thing to happen.

“We moved here two months ago and never thought something like this could happen.

“I often walk on my own there, we walk our dog and my 15-year-old daughter has walked along there too.

“I will probably have to think again about that now.

“That girl could have easily been her.”

Chris Curtis, of Ainsworth Avenue, regularly walks his dog in the field.

He said: “It’s really shocking and sounds very unusual in this area. I walked there on Wednesday morning, it’s always very busy.

“My son came back around 6pm and said he’d seen the police cordon.

“It’s a vile thing to happen and we hope the girl is ok.”

Sussex Police said the girl was approached by a man in his 40s at the northern end of Sheep Walk when it joins the field in Ovingdean.

But yesterday officers’ investigations appeared to be focused at the south entrance to the reserve in Rottingdean.

A force spokeswoman said officers have carried out door-to-door enquiries and have spoken to dog walkers.

Anyone with information should contact police on 101 quoting serial 904 of October 29.