Wales international footballer Ched Evans has been found not guilty of raping a teenager in a hotel in north Wales following a two week retrial.

The Chesterfield striker had been accused of raping a teenager at a Premier lnn near Rhyl in north Wales in the early hours of May 30, 2011.

Following the not guilty verdict, Evans was seen "crying his eyes out" outside Cardiff Crown Court, after a five-year battle to clear his name.

Evans' fiancé Natasha Massey was also in tears.

In a statement read outside Cardiff Crown Court, Evans said he was "overwhelmed with relief" following the not guilty verdict.

The 27-year-old had admitted to having sex with the teenager at the hotel and cheating on his girlfriend in the process, but always insisted it had been consensual.

He had always maintained his innocence, saying the woman had invited him to "join in" a 4am romp with a fellow footballer.

Defence counsel Judy Khan QC said Evans answered every single question during his police interviews and detectives would never have known about the sex session had it not been for the soccer star's honesty.

Claps could be heard from the public gallery following the acquittal.

Timeline of Ched Evans rape allegations

In a statement read outside court on behalf of Evans, he said:

Giving his evidence-in-chief at the retrial at Cardiff Crown Court, the 13-cap Wales international told the jury he had consensual sex with the woman.

He arrived at the £92 hotel room after friend Clayton McDonald, also a footballer, sent him a message to say he had "got a bird".

"I was being juvenile, I was being childish," Mr Evans said. "I didn't know for sure what would be happening in the room.

"I thought they might be having sex. They were in fact having sex. When I walked in, the door slammed behind me and they both looked at me.

"Clay looked at her and said 'can my mate join in?' She looked at me and said 'yes'."