An inquiry has been launched after a confidential Lancashire Police file containing the personal details of a teenage rape victim was found in the street.

The dossier was found by a dog walker, and was understood to have contained the girl's photograph, her age, address, phone numbers and school.

It was also said to have referred to the sexual assault suffered by the teenager - who had been reported missing to the police - and the name of the person who carried it out.

The man found the 'Missing Person' stapled document on Lancashire Constabulary headed notepaper in North Drive, Blackpool, on Saturday morning.

Lancashire Constabulary has launched an internal probe into the incident surrounding the girl who has since been found safe and well.

Inspector David Old, operations manager for central Blackpool, said: "I have commenced an internal inquiry to establish how these documents have come into the public domain but until I have got further on with the inquiry I am keeping an open mind as to how the paperwork has fallen into the hands of the public.

"It's likely there will be a look at procedures and if there is a lesson to be learnt procedurally from this, we will."

A spokeswoman for the Information Commissioner's Office said: "We have been informed of a possible data breach which may involve Lancashire Constabulary.

“We will be making enquiries into the circumstances of the alleged breach of the Data Protection Act before deciding what action, if any, needs to be taken."

Last week, Lancashire Police Authority received a slap on the wrist for a website blunder which led to a data breach.

It breached the Data Protection Act by accidentally publishing details of an individual’s complaint on its website, failing to edit information on two documents marked as restricted.