DETECTIVES are appealing for witnesses to an attempted abduction of an 11-year-old girl. The incident happened near a Safeway store in Sutton Road at Maidstone. A man jumped out of bushes by the side of the bus stop and pulled the schoolgirl onto a number 82 bus.

She managed to get away from him and fled back towards Senacre Technology College, where she is a pupil. The man was thrown off the bus by the driver and disappeared. The girl was wearing her school uniform with a yellow and blue padded jacket. The man is described as being white and in his late 30s or early 40s. He was tanned and thin with thinning hair. He was wearing a grey top and blue trousers.

Police are appealing for witnesses to the incident which occurred just after 3.30pm on Tuesday. Anyone with information is asked to contact Det Cons Terry Easterby on 01622 608182