Mother abducted at seaside with toddler and raped suffered 'horrendous ordeal'

A mother who was abducted on a seaside walk with her toddler had screamed for help before they were driven off and she was raped, a senior detective has said.

The woman, in her 30s, was raped by two men in a "horrendous ordeal" which began in Redcar on Friday just yards from the beach where people would have been walking their dogs, and lasted up to seven hours.

Cleveland Police officers said they were working on several lines of inquiry and were yet to establish if the woman knew the men.

Speaking on the promenade where the woman and her toddler were forced into a dark-coloured saloon, Detective Chief Inspector Steve Young, from the Cleveland and North Yorkshire Major Investigation Team, said: "Our enquiries are continuing today into this horrific incident and our partner agencies are providing support to the woman and her child, who have obviously been through an extremely traumatic experience.

"We are carrying out extensive CCTV enquiries today. The area was busy at the time of the incident as people walked by with their dogs and local workers may have been on their lunch break.

"The victim was screaming for help as she was forced into the car.

"Someone must have seen or heard her. Anyone at all with information is urged to call police."

Mr Young said both men raped the woman, and described the incident as "extremely unusual", and he warned local women to "remain vigilant" as a precaution.

They were released in the early evening having been driven off to another location around lunchtime. The toddler was unharmed.

The detective said the woman and her child had "been through a horrendous ordeal" and was being supported.

The first suspect, who was driving, is white, in his late twenties or early thirties, around 5ft 7" to 5ft 10" tall, with short, brown hair, of large build with the word "love" tattooed across his knuckles.

The second suspect, who was a passenger in the car, is described as a white male, in his early twenties, around 5ft 5" to 5ft 6" tall, of medium build, clean shaven and with brown hair. He had a local accent.

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