A WOMAN who may be a witness is being sought by police as part of a double child rape investigation.

Detectives are investigating the false imprisonment of a woman and the rape of a boy and teenage girl, in Haslingden, and are trying to find a woman they believe is a potential key witness.

It was reported a woman had been falsely imprisoned and a girl and a boy were sexually assaulted at an address in the town on Sunday, May 5, at around 8am.

Officers now want to speak to a woman who was thought to have spoken to a man at a bus stop in Broadway, Haslingden, at around 10.40am on the same day.

The pair sat separately on the X41 bus they boarded which travelled from Accrington to Manchester.

A 34-year-old man, Joseph McCann, was later arrested in Cheshire that day on suspicion of a whole host of rape and false imprisonment charges in locations around England.

Detective chief inspector Zoe Russo said: "This was a truly horrendous attack on two children and a woman and our enquiries are continuing.

"Specially trained officers will continue to offer support to the victims.

"As part of our on-going enquiries we need to trace the woman described so that we can speak to her as a key witness.

"We know she conversed with a man at the bus stop on Broadway.

"If you think this was you, please make contact with us as soon as possible."

On Thursday, McCann refused to attend court to face the string of charges.

He is charged with 21 offences against eight alleged victims, aged between 11 and 71, across five police force areas over a two-week period between April 21 and May 5.

Chief Magistrate Emma Arbuthnot authorised the use of force to bring him before her after he refused to leave the cells at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Wednesday.

But in what is believed to be an unprecedented move, she convened a private hearing inside Belmarsh prison on Thursday.

In an update to reporters in a makeshift courtroom in a nearby conference centre after walking into the jail an hour and 20 minutes earlier, Ms Arbuthnot said the "shortish hearing" had been held in the prison's healthcare wing.

She said McCann "turned his back on the court to begin with" and claimed the "officers stitched me up" before she remanded him in custody until a hearing at the Old Bailey on May 23.

The hearing was told McCann, from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, was aware of the charges against him.

They are eight counts of rape; four counts of kidnap; two counts of false imprisonment; two counts of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity; two counts of sexual assault by penetration; one count of inciting a boy under the age of 13 to engage in sexual activity; one count of engaging in non-penetrative sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15; and one count of assault occasioning actual bodily harm.

McCann is yet to enter pleas to any of the charges, which were outlined to reporters following what is believed to be the first time such a magistrates' court hearing has been convened inside a prison.

The judge, plus lawyers, journalists, police officers and court staff, took taxis to Belmarsh, 15 miles away from Westminster Magistrates' Court.

The court crest was brought in an Argos carrier bag and placed on the conference table before Ms Arbuthnot told reporters: "I will be going into Belmarsh prison to see the defendant, Mr McCann.

"I will be accompanied by the prosecutor, defence counsel and obviously the clerk.

"We will then have a hearing in there, which will be a private hearing, not in the presence of the press."

Anyone with information can call the police on 101 and quote log reference 541 of May 5.