POLICE are appealing for information after an 18-year-old girl was raped in the city centre.

The incident happened around 1am Sunday morning while the girl was out with friends celebrating her 18 ^th birthday.

 Between 1am and 1:30am, the girl, who had been speaking with a man in the beer garden of Yates Wine Lodge , realised she had lost her friends and so was led out through the beer garden and out onto a car park at the rear of the bar.

It was here that the rape took place. She then was walked back to the pub by the man where she found her friends and at this point she split up from the man.  She told her friends what had happened and reported it to police patrolling the area.

The man involved is described as being in his early 20’ s, around 5 feet 8 inches tall with short, dark hair.  He has a long nose and he was wearing a long sleeved v-neck jumper.

The girl was wearing black shorts and a black playboy top, with a birthday sash and was carrying a white handbag

Detective Inspector Gareth Willis said, “ I would appeal for anyone who may have seen either the man or the woman described above, separately, or together that night in Yates to come forward and contact police.

“ I would also urge any friends of the man involved to come forward, or even the man himself to contact police.  We are currently reviewing CCTV images from the bar and the immediate area to trace the people involved.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Preston CID on 01772 203203 or call Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.