A woman was assaulted in her own home after a man waited in her bedroom to attack her.

The 26-year-old woman was in the rear garden of her Essendon home at 5:45am last week.

She re-entered her home for a short time and was confronted by a man hiding in her bedroom.

He sexually assaulted her before she managed to convince him to leave.

Detectives have released an image of the man in the hope that it might assist in their enquirires.

He is described as Southern European in appearance, aged between 25 and 30, 182cm tall with a medium build and hazel eyes.