A NATIONAL television appeal for help in catching a group of youths who allegedly raped three teenage girls has yielded a tremendous response, police say.

The appeal, on BBC's Crimewatch, dates from last year, when the girls - understood to be from Darlington -said they were raped at Appleby Horse Fair, in Cumbria.

Since the incident was reconstructed on the programme on Wednesday night, police have received 92 calls, and "several new lines of inquiry".

Police are hunting five youths, aged 12 to 20 with Irish accents, in connection with the attack, on Sunday, June 5.

Four are facing rape and sexual assault charges.

The incident happened when the three girls - two aged 13 and another aged 14 -were befriended by the group, who persuaded them to walk along a riverbank with them.

A man and woman in their fifties intervened, believing the girls were being harrassed. Despite a police appeal at the time for the couple to come forward, they have yet to be traced.

Shortly after, the youths - two who said they were cousins and both called Paddy, and another teenager called Andy - caught up with the girls and walked with them out of the town to a residential cul-de-sac called Belgravia, where the attack took place.

Police are keen to hear from anyone who was there last year.

Detective Inspector Mark Backhouse, who is leading the investigation, said: "We have had a tremendous response from the public after the Crimewatch appeal, and we have some promising fresh leads."

Anyone with information has been asked to call (01768) 217419.