A police appeal featured on Kentonline on Friday resulted in a man handing himself into police later that night.

Officers put out the appeal to help trace a man they wanted to speak to in connection with what officers described as a serious assault.

Officers investigating the incident in Chatham released an image of a man they believed could help them with their inquiries.

The offence, which was actually an allegation of rape, is reported to have taken place in Weedswood following a night out on Saturday, January 28.

On Friday officers said they had explored numerous lines of enquiry, but had not made an arrest in connection with the incident, so they issued a CCTV picture of the man they wanted to talk to about the incident.

Kentonline understands a man from Gillingham handed himself in to police on Friday night as a result of the media appeal run on this website.

Today, a spokesman for Kent Police said: “As a result of the media appeal the man handed himself in on Friday and was arrested on suspicion of rape.

“He has now been released pending further inquiries.”