POLICE forces across the region are being drafted in to assist in one of Britain's biggest ever manhunts.

A serial rapist, who has carried out at least ten attacks in the past year, is still evading capture and is even thought to be taunting detectives.

The man, dubbed the "trophy rapist" because he often takes pieces of his victims' clothing, is thought to have a North-East accent.

And detectives in the South of England, where he has committed all of the attacks, are considering the possibility that he could be commuting from the North-East.

All the incidents have taken place on a weekday, with victims ranging in age from a ten-year-old girl to a 52-year-old woman.

Kent Police are one of four forces investigating the case and a spokeswoman said police, probation and social services chiefs in the North-East had been contacted.

"There are two victims who seem certain that he had a North-East accent," she said.

"The incidents have all occurred on weekdays, so it is possible that he is going back to the North-East on weekends.

"Our appeal is for anybody who knows of someone who does this and could have been in the relevant areas at the times of attacks."

Various agencies in the region have been sounded out about possible links with similar cases in the past.

The attacker claimed his tenth victim last Friday when he dragged a 14-year-old girl into woodland in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, before raping her at knifepoint.

The incident came only hours after his year-long reign of terror had been featured on the BBC Crimewatch programme.

The rapist is described as being in his thirties, about 5ft 7in tall, with a North-East, possibly Geordie, accent