Greater Manchester Police said they were called to the incident in Droylsden around 4 p.m. and believe the girl was taken on Warne Road into a wooded area, then to a van where she was assaulted, before being returned to the woods and finding her own way to a nearby park.
A 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of abduction and sexual assault on Wednesday evening and is being held for questioning, but Greater Manchester Police said detectives are keeping an open mind, and a search for a second man said to have been acting suspiciously in the area at the time of the incident is ongoing.
Detectives have released two images of a man they want to speak with about the incident and have asked anyone who sees him to call 999.
The first image was taken moments after the reported abduction, while the second was taken around 30 minutes later, according to police.
On Gainsborough Road, the man appears to be wearing his jacket around his waist in the second image.
