A man attempted to grab a teenage girl and pull her into his car.

Sophie, 13 was walking home after being with her friend in Wigmore at 6.15pm.

A man pulled up in a blue ford focus and shouted "sexy".

According to Sophie's mum Tasha, the man then pulled up opposite Pump Lane, Rainham and shouted "How did you get so sexy?"

School-girl Sophie said: "Leave me alone I'm a kid."

But the man continued to shout rude comments at her.

Instinctively Sophie took a picture of the car to warn other girls to avoid it.

Suddenly the man opened the car door open and reached over to grab her.

Sophie ran to as fast as she could and her parents picked her up from a nearby corner shop

Her mother Tasha said: "Although Sophie was not physically hurt she was very shaken by the incident.

"The man was mid thirties, white but tanned, blonde brown hair and had an accent, Sophie is not sure where the accent was from."

It happened on Monday.

Police spokesman James Walker said: "Police received a report that a girl walking in Pump Lane, Rainham, was spoken to by the driver of a car that had stopped in the road.

"The incident happened at around 6pm on Monday 3, September 2018 and the man’s behaviour was reported to be suspicious.

"At no point was physical contact made.

"Officers have assessed the circumstances and, at present, the driver of the van has not been located."