Sex attack left me paralysed by fear, says BBC's Fiona

Broadcaster Fiona Bruce told today how she is still haunted by the hooded sex attacker who "utterly paralysed" her.

The attack happened as the 44-year-old newsreader walked home on a winter's evening.

She felt a man's presence behind her so picked up her pace but he grabbed Bruce from behind and assaulted her by putting his hand between her legs.

She said: "It can only have lasted a few seconds but I remember I was utterly paralysed.

"My throat closed so tightly I couldn't make a sound. I couldn't move a muscle and I just stood there. The man then let go and ran off ahead of me.

"I stood there, unable to move or shout."

The assault happened when Bruce was in her twenties and a few years after she had taken a self-defence course at Hertford College, Oxford.

She told The Daily Telegraph: "I remembered my self-defence training and thought this would be the time to use it.

"But I just couldn't. I was too frightened, even of this pathetic character, who can't have been much over five feet.

Ms Bruce added: "I didn't do anything to fight back against what seemed like a pretty weedy opponent and I'm still furious with myself about it."

The presenter spoke of her ordeal as she launched her new book on women's safety, called Savvy, with Jacqui Hames, the former detective and Crimewatch co-presenter.

She believes low-level crime, including sexual assault and theft, is a common - and often unreported - problem for modern women.

Ms Bruce, who now also presents the Antiques Roadshow, said: "I have been flashed at twice, suffered a minor sexual assault, been burgled three times - twice when I was in my home - and had my car broken into.

"Oh yes, and I've had my identity stolen twice by card thieves."

She added: "Most women - and I cannot base this on anything other than gut feeling - have had some low-level unwanted sexual encounter - a groper on the Tube or a flasher.

"It's incredibly common."