Video clue to knifeman

The man who stabbed and almost killed a woman jogger may have been caught on video, police revealed today.

Detectives investigating the attack, which happened on Friday 5 December in Clissold Park, Stoke Newington, want to trace several witnesses who have yet to come forward, including two schoolgirls spotted in the park with a video camera on the day of the attack.

Following a television appeal on BBC's Crimewatch last night, Detective Chief Superintendent Jon Shatford said: "They may hold a vital key to our investigation.

"They were videoing, but despite an extensive search of local schools we have not yet discovered their identities.

"Another witness we are particularly keen to speak to is described as a woman of Oriental appearance, walking a long-haired 'sausage' dog which was wearing a check coat at about 4.30pm on the day of the attack."

The 39-year-old victim, who is still in hospital, has told police her attacker looked like a student, was wearing a dark, hooded top and carried a rucksack on his back.

Other witnesses have reported seeing a young man in his teens or early twenties who matched her description acting suspiciously before the attack at 5.30pm.

Mr Shatford said he believed the attacker had been in Clissold Park from about 11am and may have been hanging around for several days.

Police believe that after the stabbing, the attacker fled through an exit on the Green Lanes road opposite a pub called The White House.

Speaking on last night's Crimewatch, Mr Shatford also gave a police profile of the attacker.

He said he believed the man lived locally, was probably unemployed with low social skills and was a loner who lived on "the fringes of society".

He described the attacker as the type of man who would "walk off rather than become involved in conversations". He may also be known to social services in the area in the area and have a fascination with knives.

The officer warned women not to jog alone in the park and said the attacker had probably stalked his victim, whom he may have been watching in the days before striking.

Mr Shatford added that he thought it was "inconceivable" the attack in Clissold Park was not carried out by the killer of Margaret Muller in nearby Victoria Park in February.

The 27-year-old American artist was stabbed to death while she was out jogging, and detectives say there are many similarities between the two cases, neither of which has been solved.

Police today issued a warning urging people out and about in parks across London to be extra vigilant.

Chief Superintendent Bob Carr of Hackney police said their enquiries were stretching across all parks in the north-east London area, including Finsbury Park. He said that someone may have seen the attacker acting suspiciously during the weeks leading up to the latest attack.

He warned joggers to stay aware, to carry a personal alarm, to jog in pairs and not to run at night.