Cotswold author Jilly Cooper told a Cheltenham Literature Festival audience that she was sexually assaulted when working in a publisher's office.

The writer of a number of "bonkbuster" novels said she had taken an author out for lunch when he "jumped" her on the way back to the office.

Speaking to the stunned crowd at the Town Hall, she said she was allowed to take authors out for lunch while working at a publishing firm. On one occasion, Jilly claimed, a male author attacked her after their meeting.

"He jumped on me," she said. "I staggered back into the office with all my clothes ripped. It was horrible."

Fellow author Ian Rankin, sharing the stage with Cooper for the talk about sex in books, commented: "That's appalling."

The revelation came out after Rankin had questioned her about a scene in her novel Riders where one of the characters forces himself on a young woman.

Jilly replied: "That happened to me," before telling the story.

Jilly, who lives in the Gloucestershire village of Bisley with her husband Leo, told how the incident was brushed over and she was expected to get on with her life.

The author has sold more than 11 million copies of her books in the UK alone, with Riders voted Best Read Ever by Tesco shoppers in 2004.

She also revealed to her audience on Saturday evening that she has been visiting Cheltenham racecourse for research into an upcoming book, due to be finished in autumn next year.