BRITAIN:Police are investigating claims that a woman was raped early yesterday at a hotel where Manchester United players were hosting their Christmas party.
The team had booked the entire Great John Street boutique hotel for their party, which had begun 14 hours earlier at a casino in the city centre.
The luxury hotel was closed yesterday as detectives investigated the allegation. Greater Manchester police refused to confirm or deny whether any of the club's squad or staff were involved.
A notice on the hotel door read: "Please note the hotel will be closed until further notice. Thank you for your co-operation. Great John Street."
The Manchester United players had booked the entire 30- room hotel for the party, which was attended by about 150 guests. Police confirmed they had received a 999 call from a woman at the hotel who claimed she had been the victim of a sex attack at 4.15am.
The hotel, a converted Victorian schoolhouse, has a rooftop hot tub and suites which cost as much as £395 a night.
The players' party began at 2pm on Monday at the city centre 235 casino, when the team arrived by coach straight from the training ground at Carrington. The footballers were then entertained by two drag queens and five burlesque dancers.
Greater Manchester police said: "Police are currently investigating a report of rape at a hotel in Manchester city centre.
At about 4.15am on Tuesday December 18th, police were called to the hotel on Great John Street to a report that a 26-year- old woman had been raped. Inquiries are continuing."
Manchester United boss Sir Alex Ferguson is believed to have given a reluctant blessing to the party but had warned the players to be on their best behaviour after problems in previous years.
The woman will be interviewed and invited to give a statement after she is examined at a rape crisis centre at St Mary's Hospital in Manchester.
Earlier in the evening the first team - including Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand and Ryan Giggs - were joined by new players such as Argentinian striker Carlos Tevez, Portuguese international Nani, Brazilian ace Anderson and England midfielder Owen Hargreaves at a Manchester strip club. Portuguese international Cristiano Ronaldo was at the Fifa World Player Award ceremony in Zurich, Switzerland.
The party later met at the Old Grapes pub, part owned by the TV soap actor Liz Dawn, where they were overheard chanting football songs before leaving at 9.30pm. Staff said the players were in good spirits. Licensee Angela Creely said: "They were in a really good Christmas mood, they were a bit merry but nobody was drunk. They were having a good sing-song but they were well-behaved. I just couldn't see it being one of those lads.
"They have come down here for their Christmas party for the last three years on the trot and they have always been well-behaved and they were lovely with the staff and customers."
Manchester United refused to comment about the allegation.
The players had their party at the hotel last year, when glasses were smashed and the floor damaged at a cost of £41,000.
Meanwhile, Wayne Rooney and his fiancee Coleen McLoughlin announced yesterday that they will marry next June.