British teenagers endure two-hour sex attack in New Zealand

The women, believed to be in their teens, were subjected to a two-hour sex attack after a man broke into their campervan, which was parked in Tokomaru Bay on the north-eastern coast of the country's North Island.

Police said a 29-year-old local man had handed himself in and was later charged with three counts of sexual violation and two of kidnap.

Campervan attack: Two British teenagers were subjected to a two-hour assault in Tokomaru Bay in New Zealand

The attack happened on Friday at about 1am local time shortly after the pair returned to their campervan following a night out at a nearby bar.

Detective Sergeant Kevin Ford of Gisborne Police said the victims had tried to ward off the attack by talking to the man about themselves and their families.

"They did all the right things in terms of trying to personalise the situation by talking to him about who they were and who he was."

But he said the man had overpowered both of them and subjected them to a series of sexual assaults over two hours before leaving the campervan.

Detective Sergeant Ford said: "It was a horrible ordeal that these two girls went through, not only because of what happened but also due to the prolonged nature of the attack."

Police are concerned about the increasing number of attacks on tourists, among them British women.

Earlier this year Karen Aim from Orkney was savagely beaten about the head while walking home in the lakeside town of Taupo.

A 14-year-old boy has been charged with her murder.

Last year a young English woman was sexually assaulted in the South Island seaside town of Kaikoura, while in recent months a British woman was attacked on a beachside path in the north of the North Island.