POLICE have stepped up patrols in a city street after a man was seen behaving suspiciously towards children.

An eight-year-old girl, her 13-year-old brother and a second 13-year-old boy were playing together in St Mary’s, Southampton, when they were approached by the man.

The girl ran to her home in The Compass and told her mother a man she did not know had put a hand on her head and spoken to her briefly.

She was unharmed but described as frightened and upset.

The same man is reported to have spoken to her brother briefly while he was riding a white bicycle but made no physical contact.

Police are going door-to-door in St Mary’s conducting enquiries and information received suggests a man was seen getting out of a silver car near The Compass before approaching the children.

The car was carrying a number of people wearing similar clothing and after the man left the children he was seen meeting an adult woman nearby, kissing her hand and then walking off with her towards an alleyway next to St Mary’s Church.

The incident occurred at around 6pm on Friday, September 19.

Detective Sergeant Will Whale of Shirley CID said: "We'd like to thank the children and their families for reporting these events to police. Officers remain in contact to provide support and reassurance.

"There is no information to suggest the man had a criminal motive for approaching the children. However, we’re treating the report seriously while keeping an open mind about the circumstances. There are no links to other known cases or crimes.”

"A key line of enquiry is establishing any other sightings of a silver car being driven in the St. Mary’s area on Friday evening (September 19).

"Anyone who saw a vehicle matching this description - or who may have been travelling in the car itself - is asked to contact police.”

The man is described as mixed race, aged in his 30s, with a spotty complexion and foreign-sounding accent.

He was wearing a red cap with black stripes, a grey top, and carrying a bag or back pack.

The woman was white, 5ft tall, of slim build and with shoulder length brown hair, wearing a purple/blue chiffon dress, and orange/pink jelly shoes.

Anyone with information should contact CID at Shirley Police Station on 101, or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.