POLICE cordoned off an area in the centre of Salisbury in the early hours of Monday morning, following an allegation by a 16-year-old girl that she had been raped.

Police were called to Bridge Street just after midnight on Sunday and immediately sealed off Bridge Street and St Thomas's Square, while detectives carried out a search for items of clothing.

Officers are also looking at CCTV footage and have appealed for witnesses or information from anyone in the vicinity of Bridge Street and St Thomas' Square around midnight on Sunday.

Police are particularly keen to speak to a group of women who were picked up by a taxi from the City Hall about 11.30pm on Sunday.

The women were taken to Andover and two or three of them were dropped off in Roman Way, Andover and another outside the town's fire station. Police believe they may have information which can help officers with their enquiries.

Police arrested a man for questioning during the early hours of Monday morning and on Tuesday afternoon confirmed that a 38-year-old Bournemouth man had now been charged with rape and with causing actual bodily harm to the girl.