Police are hunting a suspect who wore a red baseball cap on New Year's Eve at Nelson's Tahuna Beach, after a 16-year-old girl was raped there.
They had to work quickly today to interview holidaymakers at the popular beach campsite before people left to travel home.
The Marlborough girl said she was raped near a hedge that divides an area of the Tahuna Beach Holiday Park known as the "bullring" from a more family-orientated site.
It is believed the suspect, a caucasian in his late teens, left the red baseball cap behind. He could also have been wearing a light-coloured top.
Nelson police posted flyers asking for information around the beach area today, but said they had received no positive leads on the suspect's identity.
The girl was due to return home with her family today.
The family had been at a house in the area on New Year's Eve and walked to the holiday park with a large group of friends.
They joined a crowd of about 700 people to watch a wet T-shirt competition about 9.30pm at the "bullring".
The girl became separated from her friends and was sexually violated between 9.30pm and midnight.
The "bullring" was the scene of a New Year riot two years ago when 25 people were arrested and 10 people were sent to Nelson Hospital.
However, increased security at the park has seen little major disorder from youths since then.
- NZPA
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