Fears as man approaches eight-year-old girl in Clanfield

Officers are investigating the ‘suspicious incident’ in Beckless Avenue, in Clanfield, on Wednesday.

Hampshire police confirmed that a red car stopped near the girl, the man said something and then the girl ran away to her home.

Her mother reported it to police following the incident 6.30pm and 6.45pm. The girl had been with her sister, 10.

A resident, who asked not to be named, said: ‘It’s a concern if it was a real attempt to entice a child into the car, and that there’s somebody there in the area.

‘They were playing and a car stopped, and a man tried to entice the eight-year-old girl into the car but luckily they both went into their home.

‘It’s general concern – it’s an estate with lots of children.

‘We’re just trying to make everybody aware.’

Neighbourhood officers are targeting the area.

No-one was hurt or touched in the incident.

A Hampshire police spokesman said: ‘An eight-year-old girl via her mother said a man she didn’t know has spoken to her from a red car in Beckless Avenue. The car then drove off.

‘No contact was made or anything else.

‘It’s under investigation however it’s certainly at the current time an isolated incident.

‘There’s no other reports, nothing in the area.’

Local officers will be patrolling the area more than usual in the wake of the report.

No arrests have been made, police said.

The resident added: ‘There was a suspicious car driving around a Clanfield estate.

‘The eight-year-old who was approached is very shaken up as a result.

‘From the details the girls have given me the car was a large maroon car and the driver had frizzy ginger hair.’

Call police on 101 quoting 44160029922.