POLICE are hunting a man who tried to snatch a schoolgirl from a Southampton street in broad daylight.

The 12-year-old girl was walking along Portswood Road when a man approached her in the street and tried to talk to her.

According to her statement to police, the youngster, from Swaythling, was immediately worried and went into a nearby One-Stop shop in an attempt to get away.

After waiting there for several minutes, she walked out of the shop and was crossing the road at the zebra crossing near to Mayfield Road when he attempted to grab her.

She managed to avoid his grasp and escape, while her attacker sped off in a car.

The girl, who has not been identified, then raised the alarm and her family reported the incident to the police.

Detectives investigating the attempted abduction described it as worrying and urged anyone with information about the attacker, or who witnessed the incident that happened just before midday on Sunday, to come forward.

Det Con Colin Squibb said: "We are not working on the assumption that this man particularly targeted this young girl, more that she was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"However, we are concerned as this is potentially a serious offence. I am anxious to speak to anybody who may be able to assist with this inquiry, and am especially concerned for the safety of other children in the area while this person remains at large."

Det Con Squibb said he wasn't ruling out the possibility that the man had attempted to snatch other children from the area, although he said that at present it was being treated as an isolated incident.

The man who tried to grab the girl was described as white, and in his mid-30s with dark hair. The youngster said her attacker was fairly tall and was wearing jeans, trainers and a jacket.

He fled the scene in a car that was described as dark blue, possibly with a two-tone paint work and may have had tinted windows.

Anyone with information can contact Det Con Squibb at Bitterne CID quoting Operation Streatham on 0845 045 4545.