Lancashire Police continue search for wanted Preston man Simon Cooney

Officers are continuing to search for Simon Cooney, 35, from Preston, after the woman was assaulted inside a car at around 4am on Monday (August 28).

The woman was also bitten on the hand before she escaped from the car, police said, with Cooney then driving away with his three-year-old daughter Autumn.

The car was later found abandoned in Lakeway near Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Autumn was found safe outside her home in Blackpool yesterday evening, but police continue to search for her father who remains wanted.

He is described as approximately 6ft tall, of slim build, with a shaven head and a beard. He has links to both Blackpool and Preston.

Insp Jon Campbell-Smith, of Blackpool Police, said: “As always we are grateful to members of the public who phoned us with information or shared our appeal for us.

“We are also incredibly relieved that Autumn has since turned up outside her home address and is safe and well.

“We still want to locate Simon Cooney as part of our enquiries into an assault this morning and are asking anyone who knows where he is, or who has seen him, not to approach him but to call us straight away.”

Anybody with information should call 101, quoting log 211 of August 28. For immediate sightings do not approach him but please call 999.