Police are no longer investigating the rape of a woman at a Metro station earlier this week after the alleged victim withdrew her complaint.
The 26-year-old woman claimed she had been ambushed by two men and raped in an open pathway as she made her way home in South Shields at 6.50am on Monday.
She claimed one man had held her down while the other raped her.
Detective Inspector Ian Dawes, who led the investigation, said last night: "We would like to thank members of the public and press for the response made to an appeal for witnesses.
"And we would like to reassure the public that stranger rapes are extremely rare.
"However, any report of rape is taken seriously and fully and sensitively investigated.
"We took appropriate action and followed lines of inquiry in a professional manner using trained staff while giving full support to the complainant."
Detectives are now considering the circumstances surrounding the allegations.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article