The 18-year-old was attacked as she walked along the cycle path which links Morrison's with Linwood on Thursday afternoon.

She was grabbed by her attacker - a brown haired man wearing a grey tracksuit and carrying a green cylindrical one-strap bag - and dragged into bushes near to The Pencil.

After sexually assaulting the young woman - who had been listening to songs on her iPhone - the man, who is believed to be in his 20s, made off towards Johnstone.

Anyone with any information is urged to contact Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111, or call Police Scotland's non-emergency 101 number.

Detective Inspector Mark McGowan said that his officers want to speak to a woman who was on the cycle path with a pram at the same time the woman was attacked.

He said: "This was particularly nasty, it was a young girl just walking home on a route that she takes every day, a route that most people take every day.

"It may well be that this man is a local man, he would need a knowledge of the area to know there was an area he could drag her to.

"We need to catch this man and I need the help of the public to help my officers catch this man as soon as possible."

Chief Inspector Simon Wright, Area Commander for Renfrewshire, said that hi-visibility patrols had been in cases in light of the rape and that everything possible was being done to catch the culprit.

He said Renfrewshire was a safe place to live despite the attack but reminded residents to be aware of their personal safety.