A JURY has cleared a man of raping a girl and taking indecent photographs of another teenager.

Geoffrey Wallwork wept in the dock at Bolton Crown Court as the jury of eight men and four women, following three hours of deliberation, found him not guilty of all charges.

During a six day trial Wallwork, aged 51, of Westhoughton, faced allegations that he raped and sexually assaulted a child, engaged in sexual activity with a child, took and distributed indecent photographs of a child and caused a child to engage in sexual activity.

One child was alleged to have been raped from the age of 12 and a 15-year-old year old girl claimed Mr Wallwork had taken indecent photographs of her.

Mr Wallwork denied he had committed any of the offences, claiming the girls were making false allegations against him.

As he was released from the dock by Judge Timothy Stead at the conclusion of the trial, a tearful Mr Wallwork thanked him and hugged a supporter in the public gallery.