Residents have spoken of their shock after a pensioner was sexually assaulted in Farnworth.

A 70-year-old woman was attacked on Almond Street in Farnworth on Sunday after leaving Market Street just after midnight.

The woman is being supported by specialist officers and police say they are working to 'establish the full circumstances of the incident'.

The street was taped off yesterday and police are appealing for information, particularly CCTV and dashcam footage from the area.

Detectives conducted house-house enquiries on Sunday with a police cordon in place for a large part of the day.

A Greater Manchester Police spokesman said: "On Sunday 21 August 2022, at around 12.50am, officers received reports of a serious sexual assault of a 70-year-old woman on Almond Street, Farnworth in Bolton.

"The 70-year-old woman left a premises on Market Street, Farnworth at around 12:20am before walking home via Market Street, King Street, Albert Road, Harrowby Street and the onto Almond Street where the incident occurred at around 12.50am.

"The woman is being supported by specialist officers and services and enquiries are ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident.

"Anyone with any information, photos, videos, dashcam or CCTV footage regarding this incident should contact us on 0161 856 5757 or 101 quoting incident 144 of 21/08/2022.

"Alternatively, you report information via www.gmp.police.uk or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111."

Residents of Almond Street were shocked to hear what had happened.

One woman said: “It’s just shocking to hear about, isn’t it?

“I saw police cars out at the front and the road had been cordoned off.

“There are many elderly people living around here and it’s usually such a quiet place, I’ve been here just over two years and nothing like this has happened before.

“I found out what happened online, it’s shocking and sad to read.”

The woman is being supported by specialist officers and police say they are working to 'establish the full circumstances of the incident'.

Another resident said: “I have honestly never heard anything like this happen here before, truly shocking.

“I didn’t know at the time as we were inside and we just heard the police cars and things going on.

“I am so sorry to hear that this happened to someone, I really do hope she is okay and has all the support she needs.”

One family who lived in the area said they had been asleep at the time of the incident when police were knocking on doors.

The woman said: “How horrible for that poor old lady, I can’t imagine what she has gone through.

“It’s disgusting and shocking something like this can happen, we’ve never heard anything like this here before.

“I was asleep when the police came and there were officers down the street too.”

 

Alternatively, you can report information via www.gmp.police.uk or you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.