A SCHOOLGIRL was followed and grabbed by a man as she made her way home in Evesham, police said today.

The girl was walking home along the High Street from Somerfields after failing to meet up with friends and missing her bus to school between 9.20am and 9.30am today.

Realising that she was being followed, the victim quickened her pace and then ran before the man caught up with her and grabbed her arms outside the Railway Hotel.

She screamed and the man - who was white, 5ft 6ins to 5ft 8ins tall and wearing jeans - ran off back towards the town centre. The girl was badly shaken, but not physically injured.

A police spokesman said: "This was an extremely frightening experience for this young girl as the man made it clear he was following her and was determined to catch her up.

"While this is an isolated - and extremely rare - occurrence, we want to trace the man as quickly as possible and hope that someone will either recognise the description or have seen the incident and can add further information that will help with his identification and arrest."

Police want to hear from anyone with any information - no matter how unimportant they believe it to be - on 08457 444 888, quoting 134S/190607. Information can also be given - anonymously - to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.