This is Hull and East Riding --PARENTS have told of their fears after a man placed his hand over a 14-year-old girl's mouth and attempted to push her to the ground close to a school. Humberside Police say the youngster was approached by a man in his twenties, who asked her the time as she walked along Staveley Road in east Hull.
As she neared Griffin Primary School, in Barham Road, the man grabbed the terrified girl around her waist. She managed to scream when two passersby came into sight, which made the man run away. Yesterday, residents and parents of pupils who attend Griffin Primary School, which is yards from the scene of the attack, said they were deeply concerned.
Mother-of-three Kerry Jackson, who lives on the Greatfield estate, said: "I was really quite shocked when I heard what had happened to the girl. It's scary. It could happen to anyone."
Ben Lowthorpe, a father-of-two, said: "I felt sick when I read what happened. Unfortunately, there's a lot of these people about. As a parent, you get worried when you hear about this kind of thing."
Officers only released details of the attack, which happened on Monday, November 4, between 8.30am and 8.45pm, on Tuesday.
Mother-of-two Hayley Krebs said she was relieved the girl was not hurt, although she was left shaken by the ordeal. "It sounds like she had a very lucky escape," she said.
Kelly Williamson, another mother-of-two, lives close by in Hermes Close. Her 11-year daughter regularly walks along Staveley Road.
"It's really concerning, especially when you have a young daughter like I have," she said. "I wouldn't let my daughter, at her age, out after dark."
Pensioner John Jumps has lived in a bungalow in Barnham Road, at the junction with Staveley Road, for about two years.
"It's worrying," he said. "Usually, it's a very quiet area. A lot of pensioners live round here."
A Humberside Police spokesman gave details of the attack and urged anyone with information to call officers. She said after the man had asked the girl for the time, she continued to walk along Staveley Road towards Barham Road and had started to cross a grassed area when she was attacked.
"She reported being grabbed from behind by the man who she said put his hands around her waist and over her mouth, while trying manoeuvre her to the ground," said the spokesman. Two women were reported to come into the sight of the girl who, upon seeing them, was able to scream, causing the man to run off in the opposite direction."
The attacker is described as white, in his twenties and between 5ft 6in and 5ft 10in tall. The girl described him as being of a "chubby" build and said he smelled strongly of body odour. He was also said to have dark stubble and a double chin.
He was wearing a dark baseball cap, which was frayed at the peak, and a black nylon coat, which made a rustling noise.
Anyone with information about the attack is urged to call police on 101, quoting crime reference number 2007940.
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