A manhunt is under way for a second man after one man was arrested following the abduction and sexual assault of a seven-year-old girl.
Police believe the girl was taken by a man in Droylsden, Greater Manchester, before she was brought to a wooded area, sexually assaulted in a van and then left in the woods.
The victim managed to find her own way to a nearby park after she was released, Greater Manchester Police said.
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A spokesperson said: “Thankfully, the victim was safely re-united with her family a short time later, and we’re putting in place plans to give them the necessary support at such a distressing time.”
A 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of abduction and sexual assault on Wednesday evening and is currently detained in custody for questioning.
Detectives said they are still searching for a second man who is said to have been “acting suspiciously in the area around the time of the incident”.
Police have released two images of the man, and anyone who sees him is asked to call 999.
The first image was captured moments after the alleged abduction, while the second is from around 30 minutes later, police said.
In the second image, the man appears to be wearing his jacket around his waist in Gainsborough Road as he heads towards The Snipe.
A spokesperson said: “We wish to speak to him urgently in relation to this incident, and we have a large number of officers remaining in the Droylsden, Ashton-under-Lyne, and wider areas to find him.”
Police said they would maintain a large presence in the area as the search for the second man continued.
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