DETECTIVES investigating the murder of teenage prostitute Carly Bateman are trying to trace two men seen in a van near to where her naked body was found.

The 17-year-old was strangled and left in an alleyway off Crawford Avenue, the Haulgh, on Sunday November 11 at about 3.30am.

She had been working as a prostitute in Bolton's red light districts to fund her heroin addiction.

The two men were seen inside a white Boxer or Transit van on Bromwich Street at around the time of Carly's murder. There was no writing on the sides of the vehicle and it is believed to have been a new model.

Police are still hunting for the clothing Carly was wearing on the night she was murdered.

When she was last seen at around midnight on Saturday November 10, Carly was wearing light three quarter length pants, a grey and blue top with "Ellesse" written across the front and white Reebok trainers with pink inserts.

Det Chief Insp Tony Cook, who is leading the investigation, said: "We are trying to track down these two men who were seen at around the time Carly was killed so that we can eliminate them from our enquiries.

"It is also important that they come forward as they may have vital information about other people in the area at the time."

DCI Cook also made another appeal for any punters who saw Carly on the night she died to speak to the police.

He added: "I understand that some people may be worried about their family finding out they have been visiting prostitutes, but I can assure them that such information will be treated in confidence and what is important is that the killer is found.

"It is also far better that people come and speak to us voluntarily than for us to knock on their doors.

"We are following a number of leads at the moment and the person who murdered Carly can be certain we are closing in on them."

Anyone with information about Carly's murder, especially those who were in contact with her on the night she died, is asked to call the incident room on 0161 856 5961 or the Crimestoppers anonymous hotline on 0800 555 111.