A MOTHER has told how her son was chased by a "sinister stranger" said to be lurking around the Thornhill area of Southampton.

She says the man jumped out and tried to grab her 13-year-old son while he was delivering the Daily Echo in the area.

Now mum Sharon, 37, is too frightened to let her son, Anthony, carry out his paper round alone.

She is warning other parents about the mystery attacker after reading in last Saturday's Daily Echo that a scruffy middle-aged man approached two children aged six and 11 years in the same area.

She said: "I'm sure it's the same person. I'm really worried. This man is possibly very dangerous."

Sharon, of Farringford Road, Thornhill, said the man left her son "absolutely terrified" when he leapt out at him in December.

She said: "My son was going to Thornhill Park on his bike.

"The man was crouched between two cars outside Blockbuster in Thornhill Park Road. As my son came round the corner he came out of nowhere and tried to grab him.

"The man was trying to pull something out of his pocket. I think he was going to pull a knife on my son.

"Anthony pulled back on his bike and spun himself round and pedalled away as far as he could. The man was chasing him as he cycled away. As soon as he got home he rang me and he couldn't stop crying. I won't let him do his paper round alone any more. I'm just too worried."

Police last week appealed for information after two youngsters were approached in the same area.

Last Thursday at around 4pm a man persuaded two boys, aged six and 11, to help him look for his bike around Minstead Avenue.

Yesterday mum Sharon said: "I want parents to be aware this is not the first incident. He may have chased other boys and he must be quite local."

Police have described the behaviour of the man who approached the two boys as "inappropriate" and are keen to gather more information.

Witnesses described the man as white, scruffy, aged 35 to 40, around 5ft 7in, chubby with dark brown shoulder-length hair and a three-quarters length anorak.

Anyone with any information should call Bitterne CID on 0845 0454545 or the anonymous Crimestoppers line on 0800 555 111.