Police have released a picture of an “extremely dangerous” suspect wanted in connection with the abduction and rape of two women last Thursday.

Joseph McCann, 33, was described by the Metropolitan Police as being of muscular build and around 5 ft 10 ins, with blue eyes, "a slight Irish accent" and a distinctive tattoo of the name ‘bobbie’ on his stomach.

He was also described as having a bald head or shaved blond hair with a light coloured short beard, but police warned that he might make efforts to disguise his appearance.

The first woman was abducted from a street in Chingford on Thursday at around 12:30am.

The second was kidnapped from a street in Edgware at 12:15pm on the same day. The police are considering the attacks to be random, but linked.

Both women, aged in their 20s, managed to escape following a struggle in Osborne Road, Watford, at around 2:30pm.

He tried unsuccessfully to book a hotel room in Watford at 1pm.

The police said that both women had been left “extremely traumatised” and were receiving support from specialist officers.

Detective Chief Inspector Katherine Goodwin, from the Met’s Homicide and Major Crime Command, described it as “vitally important” to trace McCann.

“We would ask anyone with any information about McCann's whereabouts to contact us immediately – McCann is considered extremely dangerous and a risk to the public and we ask people not to approach him, but instead call 999”, she said.

Police also said that another 33-year-old man arrested on Sunday on suspicion of conspiracy to rape has been released under investigation.

Anyone who can help is asked to call the incident room on 020 8785 8244 or 999 quoting CAD 3041/25Apr. Alternatively, people can tweet @MetCC or contact Crimestoppers anonymously via 0800 555 111.