A WOMAN is facing prosecution after her rape claim was revealed to be a lie.

The 24-year-old's allegation sparked a huge police investigation in Linthwaite.

It led to an innocent man being arrested and quizzed by detectives.

Police said today he had been put through a terrible ordeal because of the woman.

The man, aged 29, was questioned after the woman said she had been abducted in woods on her way home from work.

She described how a man subjected her to a violent assault on Wednesday, September 1, in scrubland off Slant Gate.

Following a huge public appeal for information, the alleged suspect was arrested after two days. He was later released on police bail.

Yesterday, at the end of a nine-day investigation, police concluded the story of the assault was made up.

Det Insp Sam Cooke, who led the inquiry, said: "Officers have spent several days working on this inquiry, following which we are satisfied the assault did not take place."

He said the suffering of the accused man had been terrible.

"Rape is a very serious allegation and can have damaging effects on those wrongly accused."

But he added: "We would like to make it clear that real victims should never be afraid of coming forward. They will always be treated with sensitivity and care."

Det Insp Cooke thanked members of the public for their help in the inquiry.

The dramatic end to the investigation comes after police stopped and questioned motorists on Manchester Road last Wednesday teatime, one week to the day after the alleged incident.

The incident echoes a case which happened earlier in the year.

In June, a woman who sparked a major police inquiry when she made a false allegation of rape was jailed for six months.

Tracy Rowe's bogus claim led to a £50,000 police inquiry and a nightmare for an innocent Sheepridge man.

Marco Ali Fatah, 24, was arrested by detectives, held in police cells and questioned for hours.

He also lost his job and suffered attacks.

A judge at Bradford Crown Court heard that the claim by Rowe, 33, meant the Iraqi refugee was kept in custody for more than 30 hours.