A MAN in his 30s has been released without charge after he was arrested on suspicion of rape.

The 31-year-old, from the Redcar area, was arrested on Tuesday afternoon on suspicion of rape and was taken into police custody.

However, just hours later he was released without charge.

The arrest was in connection with an incident in which a woman and her toddler were bundled into a car and subjected to a seven-hour ordeal, in which she was raped by two men.

Cleveland Police said inquiries were ongoing.

"Detectives are continuing to carry out enquiries and would encourage members of the public in the local area to remain vigilant," a spokeswoman said.

"Increased high visibility patrols are still taking place in the local area."

The screaming mother and toddler were snatched from Redcar seafront on Friday morning and held for seven hours.

Detectives are scouring CCTV footage and exploring several lines of inquiry as they continue their investigation into an attack that has shocked the region.

As she screamed for help, two men bundled the woman and her child into a dark saloon car after driving down a slipway to the beach between Redcar’s boating lake and the Regent Cinema at around 11.30am.

The pair were then driven four miles away to the isolated Longbeck Lane, near the village of Yearby, where the woman was raped by both men.

Her child was physically unscathed but police are currently unwilling to confirm whether he or she witnessed the prolonged attack.

The “horrendous ordeal” came to an end when the woman, who is in her 30s, and her child were forced out of the car on Kirkleatham Lane, close to Kirkleatham Museum between 5.30pm and 6.30pm.

The Northern Echo:

A police patrol van on Redcar seafront on Monday. Picture: North News

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Matt Murphy-King said the mother and child had fled into nearby woodland before summoning help from a member of the public, who contacted police.

The Northern Echo:

PRESS CONFERENCE: Detective chief inspector Steve Young and chief inspector Emily Harrison speak to the press. Picture: CHRIS BOOTH

Appealing to anyone with information to come forward, he said: “There were people on the beach at the time.

“It was lunch time and we believe there were dog walkers and people who could have been on their lunch-break walking around – please come forward and let us know what you saw.”

The victims are said to be recovering from the horrific incident with the help of police and partnership agencies, while high visibility police patrols around Redcar are being conducted.

Chief Inspector Emily Harrison, from Redcar and Cleveland Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “We would remind the public that offences of this nature are extremely rare.

“These extra patrols will continue for the foreseeable future and we would encourage any members of the public to approach the officers if they have any information or concerns.”

  • Any witnesses or anyone who may have private CCTV of the area is asked to call 101.