Police are investigating the rape of a teenage boy as he walked home in west Belfast.

Police investigating the rape of a teenage boy as he walked home in west Belfast in the early hours of Saturday morning have arrested a man.

The 16-year-old was making his way from the Falls Park, where he left his friends at around 1am, when he was approached by a man who started shouting at him to "come here".

Terrified, the young victim tried to hurry away but was overpowered by the man who sexually assaulted him on a pathway near Ardmonagh Family Centre in Turf Lodge.

Speaking to Belfast Live, the teenager's sister said he had been left "severely traumatised". "He had just left his friends and was walking home by himself," she said.

"The man had been following him and shouting 'come here, come here' - my brother was scared.

"He just kept walking on because obviously he didn't know him and the fellow kept shouting at him, but my brother is shy, he wouldn't just stop and talk to anyone.

"Then the next thing he knew the fellow came running up behind him and grabbed him by the back of the T-shirt and trailed him into the bushes, and pulled down his trousers.

"He was crying his eyes out, he ended up managing to get away and ran home, and the man was shouting after him, he was in a terrible state," she added.

Following the sexual assault, the victim rushed home in a distressed state and police were contacted straight away.

Officers had to take him back to the scene as he could not remember exactly where the attack happened.

It is believed an item of clothing, possibly belonging to the rapist, was retrieved from the scene by police and has been taken for analysis.

The attacker is described as having cropped dark hair which was longer at the top and a slight beard, and is aged in his late 30s to early 40s.

Yesterday, the PSNI said officers investigating the report of the serious sexual assault had arrested a man aged in his 30s and taken him into custody.

Detective Inspector Zoe McKee said: "I would like to thank the local community for their continued help and support during this investigation.

"I would urge anyone who has any further information about this incident to contact detectives on the non-emergency number 101, quoting reference number 158 16/07/16."

SDLP West Belfast councillor Tim Attwood said the local community was shocked by the "horrendous incident" and he urged people to assist police with their enquiries.

Belfast Telegraph