Updated: Serious sex attack on girl in York park (From York Press)

Three arrested after serious sexual assault on girl in Rowntree Park, York

9:10am Tuesday 25th September 2012 in News By Richard Catton, richard.catton@thepress.co.uk

A TEENAGE girl was sexually assaulted in a busy York park in broad daylight, police have said.

Three teenagers were arrested shortly after the incident in Rowntree Park on Sunday afternoon. Two of the arrested people are aged 15 and one is aged 17. They have since been released on police bail.

It is not known whether they were known to the victim, but officers have described the attack as an “isolated incident”.

Yesterday the park remained closed to the public as officers continued their investigation into the incident which happened some time between 3.30pm and 4pm.

One local resident said they had been stopped from entering the area on Sunday and that police had also prevented people from leaving the park while officers questioned potential witnesses.

Another local resident said: “We came down here walking our dogs at 4.30pm. There were lots of police around and some of them were in the white outfits.

“They were searching the pond at about seven o’clock this morning too.”

Micklegate ward councillor Sandy Fraser urged anyone with information to help the police with the inquiry.

He said: “Any allegation of sexual assault is a very serious matter particularly if it involves a young person.”

Yesterday it was still unclear when Rowntree Park would reopen to the public. City of York Council , which owns the park, said it was “helping the police with their investigation in any way possible”.

The police investigation is in the early stages and officers ask anyone who was in the park on Sunday afternoon and saw any suspicious activity to phone 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Police would not reveal the girl's age, saying it could compromise her identity.