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A teenage boy was punched in the stomach and raped by a stranger in a church graveyard.

The 17-year-old victim became engaged in conversation with a man as he walked through Eccles, Greater Manchester, at around midnight on Saturday June 22.

But the boy was punched and raped moments later in the graveyard at Eccles Parish Church, Manchester Evening News says.

The victim needed treatment in hospital.

Greater Manchester Police investigated the area and arrested a 30-year-old man.

He has since been released under investigation pending further enquiries.

A crime scene at the graveyard has since been lifted.

But officers want to talk to a man and woman who took the teenager to hospital.

(Image: MEN Media)

They used a silver car and dropped the boy off at 01.40am.

"Specialist officers are continuing to support the teenager and his family as he recovers from this horrific ordeal and we’re continuing to work hard to ensure the person responsible is held to account," said Detective Constable Stephen Hough, of Greater Manchester Police.

"Whilst we have arrested a man as part of our enquiries, our investigation remains ongoing and we know that a man and woman driving a silver car dropped the teenager off at hospital at around 01:40am.

"I want to stress that they aren’t in any trouble but we really need to speak to them as part of our enquiries so I would appeal directly to them to get in touch with us as soon as possible."

Anyone with information should call police on 0161 856 5235 or 101 quoting incident number 268 of 22/06/2019, or the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.