POLICE have launched an investigation after a woman was raped in an alleyway.

At around 9am yesterday, a woman in her 20s told police that she had been raped in Farnworth.

The incident happened between 10pm and 11pm on Monday in a walkway off Back Lorne Street.

Enquiries are ongoing and specially trained officers are continuing to support the victim.

Police cordoned off two alleyways in Farnworth as part of the investigation on Thursday afternoon.

Any alleyway between Thorne Street and Egerton Street was cordoned off with PCSOs stationed at either end.

Another alleyway between Merrion Street and Lorne Street was also taped off with officers not allowing members of the public not to access the area.

Residents reported that police were in the area for much of Thursday afternoon and that officers would not tell them what was being investigated.

The PCSOs said that they were awaiting the arrival of CID to carry out an investigation at the scene.

Anyone with any information should call police on 101 quoting incident number 1841 of 24 April 2017.

Police originally said that the incident was reported to them on Monday at 9am and happened on Sunday night but have since corrected this.