POLICE are investigating after a teenage girl was raped.

The 17-year-old was on her way home from a night out in Bury when she became aware of someone following her along Ringley Road, between 7.30am and 8.15am on Saturday, August 25.

Fearing she was about to be attacked, she quickly took off her shoes and ran across to the other side of the road.

The man ran after her, caught up with her and pushed her onto a grass verge at the entrance to Ringley Hey.

She was raped before the attacker ran off down Ringley Road towards Higher Lane.

The victim has been left traumatised by the incident.

She has described her attacker as white, in his mid 30s, of skinny build.

He was clean shaven with light coloured cropped hair and was wearing blue jeans.

Detective Inspector Simon Davies, of Greater Manchester Police's Serious Sexual Offences Unit, said: “This incident is still at the early stages of investigation, so we are trying to establish the full circumstances.

“The girl is now being supported by specially trained officers and I want to reassure her, and the wider community, that we are working extremely hard to find this violent offender.

“This attack happened at the edge of a busy road that stretches between Whitefield and Bolton and it happened at a time when people are starting to leave the house and get out and about.

“As a result I am confident that there must be people out there who would have either seen what happened, or who saw a man fitting the description in the area at the time.

“Please, if you saw anything – but perhaps didn’t think too much of it at the time – then get in touch with us.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Serious Sexual Offences Unit on 0161 856 1812, Greater Manchester Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.