A man accused of raping a teenage girl in a tent at a children's camp more than a decade ago has been cleared.

Howard Andrews, 41, collapsed sobbing to the floor of the dock after the jury also acquitted him of two charges of indecently assaulting the girl.

He had earlier told the jury at Exeter Crown Court that he had never touched the girl sexually, adding: "I do not know why she is saying it."

Andrews, of Western Jetty, Brighton Marina, walked free from court yesterday.

He had pleaded not guilty to raping the girl in Dorset in July 1991 and also denied two charges of indecently assaulting her earlier that year.

At the time he was a partner in a Devon-based leisure business, organising outdoor activities for school parties.

The alleged victim, now living elsewhere in the country, claimed Andrews indecently assaulted her when they were naked in a shower at his home in Devon.

She also claimed Andrews had indecently assaulted her in a tent at a weekend camp in Dorset in May 1991.

Andrews told the jury camps were never held in Dorset at weekends.

The alleged victim also claimed Andrews raped her in a tent at a camp she helped set up in Dorset in July 1991.

She said she was sleeping in the same tent compartment as Andrews, who, she told the court, raped her after they had been to a pub with others.

Andrews told the jury that on that occasion he was sharing a tent with his girlfriend - whom he had since married - but they had separate sleeping compartments.

There were no arrangements about where the complainant should sleep but she could have used up to eight other empty tents.

"Did you suggest she should sleep with you?" asked defence counsel Sarah Munro QC. "Not at all," replied Andrews.

He told how after he had gone to his bed he became aware of the complainant "trying to get into my sleeping compartment".

He said words to the effect of "bugger off" and she left, he assumed to go to another tent.

But when he woke up the next morning she was in his sleeping compartment.

Andrews denied he had sex with the alleged victim during the night or had done anything of a sexual nature.

Asked whether he had done any of the things the complainant alleged, Andrews said: "No, I did not. I did not do that."

The alleged victim earlier told the court her parents did not go to the police at the time because they did not want her to go through a trial.

She went to the police herself in January of last year and made a complaint.