A FOURTEEN-year-old girl was sexually assaulted within the grounds of Clitheroe Castle.

Two girls were in the castle grounds when a man, who came from the Woone Lane entrance, approached them near to the skate park and made a sexually suggestive comment.

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One of the girls ran away while the man grabbed the other girl and sexually assaulted her before she was able to break free.

He then ran off towards Castlegate, in Clitheroe town centre, after the incident on Friday at 2.30pm.

Det Insp Neil Marr said: “Both girls, despite being physically unhurt, have understandably been left very shaken after this incident.

“Had one of the girls not ran off and the other managed to break free, who knows what would have happened to them.

“We are trying to find the man responsible and so I am appealing to anyone who may have seen a man matching the description in the area or acting suspicious near to where the incident took place to get in contact with us as soon as possible.”

The man is described as white with a pale complexion, aged between around 18, 5ft 11ins tall with curly brown hair and of slim build.

His voice was high pitched and he spoke with a local accent.

He was wearing a black hooded top, dark grey tracksuit bottoms and was carrying a black bag.

Clitheroe councillor Mary Robinson said she was ‘horrified’ by the incident.

She said: “It is dreadful. My heart goes out to the two girls and their families.

“The sooner they catch this person the better. Somebody, must know who he is and I just hope they come forward quickly.”

Anyone with information can call police on 101 quoting log number 732 of October 3.