Last updated at 15:02, Monday, 06 June 2011

Police are investigating a serious sexual assault at Appleby Horse Fair, where a 14-year-old boy also suffered head injuries and 48 people were arrested.

The area was cordoned off by police

Officers were called to the scene, next to the eastbound slip road for the A66, on the edge of the town, at 8.30pm on Saturday.

It is believed that the victim and her 19-year-old friend had met up with a group of young men who were visiting the fair.

The girls were waiting for a taxi to Penrith when the teenager claims she was sexually assaulted by one of the males in nearby bushes.

Detectives cordoned off the area while forensic investigations were carried out. They are keen to trace a group of young men, described as being in their late teens, who were believed to have been staying at the fair.

One of the group is described as white, aged 18-to-19-years-old, of medium build, with brown gelled hair which is shorter at the sides with ringlet curls at the back. He was wearing a grey Adidas tracksuit with distinctive neon green stripes down the top and bottoms.

Earlier that day a 14-year-old boy suffered serious head injuries and had to be airlifted to hospital after falling from a moving vehicle. It is believed the teenager may have jumped on to the back of a van in order to hitch a ride.

The Great North Air Ambulance’s Pride of Cumbria helicopter was called to the scene – this time on the westbound A66 slip road at Appleby – at about 5.30pm. He was flown to the specialist head injuries unit at James Cook Hospital, Middlesbrough.

On Sunday, five men were also arrested on suspicion of inflicting grievous bodily harm following an alleged assault in the Market Field area at about 12.35pm.

The victim, a man from Manchester, suffered lower back injuries and was taken to Carlisle’s Cumberland Infirmary for treatment.

However, police said this was an isolated incident and the number of arrests had been lower than expected, especially on Saturday, which was the busiest night.

A 16-year-old boy from Lancaster was also arrested in connection with a bare knuckle fight.

First published at 10:09, Sunday, 05 June 2011
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk