12-year-old girl sexually assaulted

A 12-year-old girl was sexually assaulted when walking along a ginnel leading from Links Road towards Newhouse Road and Siddall Moor School at around 8.15am on Friday 18 October.

The man sexually assaulted the girl as she walked past him. After the assault the man left and walked onto Links Road towards Hopwood Avenue.

He is described as being white, in his early 20s, of skinny build, 5ft 7in to 5ft 11in tall, of short brown hair, had big eyebrows, wore dark trousers and a grey hooded top. He was carrying a plastic rucksack type bag.

Detective Constable Nick Price from Middleton Police Station said: "From what we have been told, we believe the offender was stood at the entrance of the ginnel at around 8am before he has walked inside, when he has seen the girl walk towards him.

"I would ask anyone who may have seen a man fitting this description, hanging around the ginnel and acting in a suspicious manner to contact us.

"A woman was seen walking her dog out of the ginnel onto Links Road, passing the offender prior to the incident so I would directly appeal to her to come forward and speak with us."

Anyone with information should phone police on 0161 856 8701 or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.