A student who arrived home from college with leaves and twigs in her hair told her mum that she had been raped in the woods by two men, a court heard yesterday.

The 17-year-old said that she was grabbed soon after she got off the bus at her usual stop.

The teenager, who was never late, had learning difficulties, and her mum had already phoned the college and the bus company before she turned up 35 minutes later than usual.

She told police in a videoed interview that five minutes' walk from the bus stop Wayne Burdis,20, took hold of her wrists and dragged her into the woods.

Prosecutor Anne Richardson said the girl told police Burdis held on to her as another man - identified as 19-year-old Ashley Allon - raped her. The men, who are cousins , were arrested and Allon said that Burdis asked her if they could have sex and she consented. Miss Richardson told the jury:"The Crown would say that this is a classic case of two men who knew this girl was a bit slow, who had taken advantage of her, they agreed what to say to the police."

Allon of Coates Close, Stanley, and Burdis of Hollyhill Gardens, Stanley, both deny rape on September 18 last year. Allon also denies indecent assault between January and September last year. The case continues.