THREE men have appeared in court charged with raping a teenage girl at the weekend.

A 16-year-old girl was found by a man walking his dog on the canal towpath close to Barden Lane in Burnley at 6am on Saturday.

Police said she was in a ‘distressed state’ and was taken to hospital by officers.

It is alleged that the girl met the men in the Barden Lane area of Burnley before she was taken to a house where she was attacked. Then she was allegedly left alongside the Leeds Liverpool canal the next morning.

The men appeared before Burnley Magistrates Court yesterday after being charged.

Mohammed Qasim, 25 of Berry Street, Brierfield, was charged with possession of a class B drug and rape.

Mohammed Rizwan Sikander, 24, of Colne Road, Burnley, was charged with rape Amad Khan, 25, of Whalley street, Burnley, was charged with possession of a class B drug and rape.

All three have been remanded in police custody and are due to appear before Burnley Crown Court on October 22.

Police said that the investigation is continuing.

Lancashire Telegraph.