Man acting suspiciously in Milnrow

The public are being urged to be mindful after police received a report of a man acting suspiciously around garages near Kiln Lane and Hurstead Road in Milnrow Rochdale, where children were playing.

At about 3pm on Sunday 28 December 2014 the children were playing in the Church grounds behind Hurstead Road, Milnrow, when a man got out of his car, possibly a blue Ford Focus, and walked towards a ten-year-old girl. The girl ran away and the man ran after her, then stopped and got back into his car. He drove a short distance and got back out of his car, but the girl shouted to her friends and the man returned to his car and drove away.

The man is described as black and was wearing a face-mask with eye holes and carrying a black bag.

Detective Inspector Andrew Butterworth said: "The girl was not physically harmed, however, her family and no doubt the community will be concerned about this.

"We are investigating this as a serious matter. Officers will be in the neighbourhoods and we ask any person who may have seen anything to contact the police.

"The children have done the right thing in telling parents and the police.

"This acts as a reminder that children should not talk to strangers and I would encourage parents to talk to their kids about this and to stress that if they are approached in this manner to simply walk away and tell an adult."

If you were in the area at the time and believe you saw anything that may assist our enquiries, please contact police on 0161 856 8549 or Crimestoppers anonymously, on 0800 555 111.