POLICE are searching for a wanted man after a woman was held captive for eight hours and threatened with a knife.

Officers attempting to track 44-year-old Stephen Warburton, of no fixed abode, after the incident in Hatton Avenue, Atherton, on Wednesday, March 14.

Police were called to reports of a false imprisonment just after midnight.

They found a woman had been assaulted and then threatened with a knife before she escaped from him eight hours afterwards.

Warburton is evading capture and is known to have links with the Wigan and Leigh areas.

PC Andrea Lea of GMP’s Wigan borough, said: "Warburton is wanted in connection with a very serious offence, which left a woman fearing for her life for over eight hours.

"Please, if you have any information about where Warburton is, or see him in your local area, contact police at the earliest possible opportunity on 101 or 999."

Any report can be made anonymously through the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.