POLICE today revealed that a youth has been arrested and released on bail in connection with the rape of a 15-year-old girl while detectives await the results of forensic tests.

The 19-year-old, from Brierfield, was detained following the attack in an alley behind shops in Colne Road on at 5.30pm on Friday.

The girl had been in the town centre with friends and was on her way home when she was approached by a man and pushed into the alley, which also runs behind a youth centre, at the height of the evening rush hour.

Officers scoured footage from CCTV security cameras in a bid to identify the attacker. The nearest camera in Colne Road is only 30 yards away but its view of the entrance to the alley is at least partially obscured by a large road sign.

Local shopkeepers are sceptical about the capabilities of the cameras. One said a shop was broken into two months ago but the cameras failed to spot the culprits.

Detective Inspector Simon Leach, of Burnley CID, said: "A 19-year-old youth was arrested and questioned by officers at Colne police station before being released without charge on police bail.

"Further inquiries are continuing and officers will be questioning this person further. Samples have been sent for forensic analysis and we are waiting the outcome of those tests."

The attack scene was cordoned off over the weekend and officers carried out door-to-door inquiries.

Peter Stobbs, assistant engineer at Burnley Council which is the lead partner in the consortium running CCTV, said: "In terms of detection we do get good results with the cameras but you can't cover every single inch.

"The road sign in Colne Road was installed by Pendle Council but after consultation with them and Brierfield Town Council it was moved to allow better coverage of the area. "The camera locations in Brierfield were agreed in consultation with the police and were the best locations for the money available in terms of covering problems that were occurring at the time.

"The camera outside the Greyhound pub covers the shops and the entrance to the alley as well."

A 35-year-old Brierfield man was arrested on Saturday and questioned by officers before being released without charge. "It was a case of mistaken identity and he has been eliminated from our inquiries," said Mr Leach.

Detectives want to hear from anyone who was in the area at the time and may have seen anything suspicious, on 01282 472644.

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