Police have arrested a 42-year-old man following an investigation into an alleged rape on Southampton Common.
The arrest took place on Sunday morning, a day after a woman in her 30s reported being attacked near Cemetery Road. The incident is believed to have happened shortly after 5.30am on Saturday.
The suspect remains in police custody while officers continue to establish what happened. Forensic examinations were carried out at the scene, where a cordon was put in place before being lifted. Police patrols were also stepped up in the surrounding area over the weekend.
Detective Inspector Graham Slack said the investigation had made important progress following the arrest, but emphasised that further work was still required.
Officers are continuing to speak to residents, carry out house-to-house enquiries and examine CCTV and other footage. Specialist police teams are also providing support to the woman.
Det Insp Slack acknowledged the concern the incident may have caused among local residents and appealed to anyone with potentially useful information to come forward.
Hampshire Police is particularly keen to hear from witnesses and anyone with dashcam, CCTV or doorbell recordings that could assist the investigation.
