A 13-year-old girl was gang-raped by a group of youths on a Spanish beach during a festival in the holiday hotspot of Alicante.

The attack took place during the San Juan festival and the assailants were described by local witnesses as Moroccan teenagers, according to The Olive Press. 

Those in the area described how the gang had tried to sexually assault a second girl before her father stepped in to stop the attack.

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A man carries a fire torch during the San Juan night in the small Pyrenees village of Sahu. The night of San Juan, which welcomes the summer season, is an ancient tradition celebrated every year in various towns in Spain

One witness told The Olive Press: 'The police arrived and the boys were detained. Several people said they were between 13 and 15 years old.

'They looked like they were Moroccans.'

The initial assault happened on the beach before the gang made their way through Cabo de las Huertas - a high-end area in Alicante - to carry out more attacks. 

The father of the second girl stopped the rampage and called the police, leading to arrests. 

Another witness said: 'Several shouts were heard and in a few minutes the police were already in the area.

'I could see several children sitting together on a police motorcycle. 

'Several people said that in addition to attacking the girls, they also stole mobile phones. '

The night of San Juan, which welcomes the summer season, is an ancient tradition celebrated every year in various towns in Spain.