Two bailed over cemetery attack

Two men arrested over a sex attack on a woman in a cemetery on Merseyside have been released on bail.

The 24-year-old victim had been out in the area of Bakers Bar, Southport, on Thursday, before she was assaulted in Duke Street cemetery.

Merseyside Police arrested two men, aged 28 and 32, both from Southport, on suspicion of rape.

They were questioned by officers and released on bail pending further inquiries, a spokeswoman said.

The arrests followed a "high visibility" operation close to the scene.

The victim has been left "severely traumatised" by her ordeal and remains seriously injured in hospital, police said.

Det Ch Insp Nikki Holland said: "It was a dreadful thing to have happened and she is finding it difficult to come to terms with it."