UK mother forced into the back of a car with her toddler and brutally raped

WARNING: DISTURBING CONTENT

A mother was forced into the back of a car by two men with her toddler and raped as police hunt a man with "love" tattooed across his knuckles.

Detectives have now launched an investigation after the woman was dragged into the rear of a vehicle in Redcar, North Yorkshire.

The woman was on the seafront near to the boating lake in the town between 11.30am and 12.30pm on Friday, March 3, when a dark-coloured saloon vehicle drove towards them.

Two men got out of the vehicle and grabbed the pair before the car made its way down Turner Street and to Yearby, on Longbeck Lane off the A174, where the woman was raped.

They ran across the road and towards the wooded area.Between 5.30pm and 6.30pm - potentially seven hours later - the woman and child were forced out of the vehicle on Kirkleatham Lane, between the turn off for Kirkleatham Museum and the bus stop towards Redcar.

The first suspect, who was driving the vehicle, is described as a white male, aged in his late twenties or early thirties, around 5ft 7' to 5ft 10' tall.

He is of large build, with short, brown hair and has the word 'love' tattooed across his knuckles.

The second suspect, a passenger in the car, is described as a white male, aged in his early twenties.

He is around 5ft 5' to 5ft 6' tall, of medium build, clean shaven and with brown hair and had a local accent.

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Matt Murphy-King, of Cleveland Police, said: "This has been a very traumatic ordeal for the victim and her child.

"Thankfully, incidents of this nature are rare and this is an isolated incident.

"There are a team of detectives working on this investigation and we have increased patrols in the local area.

"Redcar sea front is a busy area and, as a precaution, I would encourage anyone in the local area to be extra vigilant.:

Detectives are appealing to anyone who may have seen two men in a dark saloon in the area around the time of the incident on the sea front on Friday or anyone who may have seen the men or the vehicle in Yearby the same day to get in touch.

They are also appealing to any witnesses who may have seen a woman and child in a distressed state in the area of Kirkleatham Lane on Friday evening.