A 13-YEAR-OLD girl sparked a huge manhunt for a masked rapist after she invented a sex attack because she was late getting home.

The teenager from Horwich said she had been dragged in to woodland close to Rivington and Blackrod High School and subjected to the ordeal at about midnight on Saturday.

Police sealed off the area where the girl said she had been attacked and launched an investigation costing thousands of pounds and involving forensics experts who were brought in to search for clues.

After being interviewed by specially-trained officers for a second time on Monday, the girl admitted she had concocted the story because she was worried that she would get in trouble with her parents for being late.

Police confirmed that they were no longer investigating but said that the girl would not be punished for wasting police time.

It is understood that she was warned by police officers that she could have faced charges.

The allegations were made initially to the girl's parents after she returned home after midnight on Sunday.

Police were then called and statements were taken from the "victim".

A description of a mixed race man wearing a hooded top and scarf across his face was circulated to the media.

A police spokesman said: "Following investigations in to the alleged rape of a 13-year-old girl in Rivington, police are no closing their enquiries after in transpired that the allegations were false.

"Officers are happy that no offences have actually taken place and there will be no further action.

"She will not be dealt with and there will be no prosecution or caution against her."