Thankfully the victim was safely re-united with her family a short time later, and police are now putting in place plans to give them the necessary support at such a distressing time.
From what officers know so far, police suspect the girl was taken by a man on Warne Avenue and into a wooded area near to the disused railway track towards Manchester Road.
Enquiries suggest the girl was taken to a van where she was sexually assaulted before being taken back to the woods and finding her own way to a nearby park.
Later that evening a 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of abduction and sexual assault, before being taken to custody for questioning.
Detectives are keeping an open-mind, and a search is continuing regarding the whereabouts of a second man said to have been acting suspiciously in the area around the time of the incident.
Police have released two images of the man – the second of which has him pictured on Gainsborough Road and heading towards The Snipe with his jacket removed around 30 minutes after the incident.
Officers wish to speak to him urgently in relation to this incident and have a large number of officers remaining in the Droylsden, Ashton-under-Lyne, and wider areas to find him.
Police have thanked the public for their assistance so far and ask that anyone with information contacts officers first to help the investigation.
If you see the man, call the police on 999 quoting incident 2270 of 17/08/2022.
Other details - including sightings on CCTV, dashcam, or doorbell footage - can be passed to GMP via the LiveChat facility on the website (www.gmp.police.uk), or by calling 0161 856 9262.
Information can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
