A POLICE helicopter took to the sky after reports of a woman being attacked by a man in Abingdon.

But it proved unnecessary after officers on the ground were told by the alleged victim there had not been an assault. 

Thames Valley Police brought in the air crew to help track down the suspect yesterday, but when officers arrived at the supposed crime scene in Abbey Close the woman denied that she had been assaulted.

The National Police Air Service tweeted that it was helping the force at 3.45pm. 

It said officers seized the suspect, but this morning it was revealed that nobody was arrrested.

Jack Abell, spokesman for Thames Valley Police, said officers were called out at 3.34pm following reports that a woman had been assaulted, though he did not reveal the sex of her alleged attacker.

He said: "We attended the scene and spoke to the people involved. The woman informed officers that she had in fact not been assaulted.

"No arrests were made, and officers then left the scene.

"NPAS had been deployed at other incidents across the Thames Valley, and was not specifically called in to deal with the incident in Abingdon. It was used in this incident because it was in the area, and it was thought that it may be required."