Northampton rape gang almost cornered

Police investigating a series of rapes in Northampton, Britain, say they are closing the net on a gang thought to be behind the assaults.

Women in the Midlands town have been urged not to go out alone after dark.

All five of the gang's victims were approached while out by themselves in the early hours.

Police are sifting through nearly 2,000 new leads and have sent some "significant" forensic evidence to the lab for testing.

Five women have been attacked in nine days by men described as tall and black with South African accents.

The first attack was just over a fortnight ago, when two men tried to abduct a girl of 15.

In some of the attacks the suspects were driving a blue BMW and a light-coloured Fiat Punto.

Police have played down claims the rapes could signal the first instance in Britain of "Jack Rolling".

This is the name applied to a crime born in South Africa's townships where men gang-rape their victims in retaliation for a perceived slight, Sky News reports.