Woman raped by group of men in Oxfordshire churchyard

A woman has been raped outside a church in Oxford by a group of men, police have said.

The woman, who is in her 30s, was attacked in the churchyard of St Mary's and the surrounding area of Banbury town centre in the early hours of Sunday morning, Thames Valley Police said.

The force is appealing for a woman who tried to stop the attack and help the victim to come forward.

Detective Sergeant Mark Personius said they do not have a description of the "good Samaritan" but encouraged the person to contact police as she might have "vital information that can help us piece together what happened".

"This is a horrific crime and Thames Valley Police is conducting a thorough investigation to identify the offenders," DS Personius added.

"The town centre would have been busy on a Saturday night into the early hours of a Sunday morning, therefore, I would also appeal to anyone else who saw or heard anything in the area between about 12am and 2.30am this morning to come forward."

He said a scene watch is in place at the church to enable the force to carry out forensic examinations.

Officers have also been instructed to carry out house-to-house and CCTV inquiries.

(c) Sky News 2025: Woman raped by group of men in Oxfordshire churchyard