Police have released a statement and revealed there have been reports of six ‘suspicious males’ following a terrifying attempted abduction of an 11-year-old girl on Tuesday (January 14).
Officers were first called to reports of an unknown man and woman, who had travelled in a car and a van, ‘grabbing’ an 11-year-old as she walked to school in Irlam at around 8.30am.
Greater Manchester Police are continuing to hunt two suspects following the ‘attempted abduction’, in which the young girl was approached and ‘grabbed’ on Silver Street.
A girl was ‘grabbed’ on Silver Street in Irlam
Parents were then issued with a second urgent warning after reports that an unknown man had ‘lunged’ at a year seven pupil just three miles away in Urmston, also on Tuesday afternoon.
In a note sent to parents and carers, Flixton Girls School said a man had ‘walked towards’ the school pupil on nearby Bowfell Road, before ‘lunging’ towards her to ‘scare her’ and ‘staring’ at her.
The recent incidents prompted Councillor Lewis Eric Nelson, who represents the Cadishead and Lower Irlam ward, to issue an urgent warning due to ‘alarm’ in the local community. “I’m extremely concerned that it seems our community is being targeted in this way,” he said.
It is understood that there have been six reports this week concerning potential ‘suspicious males’ in the Trafford area. Detectives have investigated the separate reports and carried out CCTV enquiries and confirmed ‘no offending’ was identified in five of the incidents. A report of common assault is still being investigated.
The M.E.N has learned that the circumstances, descriptions, and ethnicities of people involved have differed for each report, and that police do not believe they are linked.
A number of incidents have been reported to police in the Trafford area -Credit:Manchester Evening News
Detective Superintendent, Trafford’s lead for Vulnerability, Alicia Smith said: “Protecting children is our top priority and we investigate safety concerns swift’y and with vigour. We understand concerns are being raised in the community and over social media.
“We have chaired a partnership meeting this afternoon, and are closely aligned with the local authority and schools in the area.
“We would like to remind members of the public to avoid spreading information online that may not be true. We encourage anyone with concerns to contact the school directly if it relates to them or report it to police on 101 and we will investigate.
“There will be an increase in neighbourhood officers patrolling around schools during key times to provide visible reassurance.”
Investigations remain ongoing following an ‘attempted abduction’ in Irlam. The male and female suspects are thought to have travelled to the area in a black car and a van.
The male is described as white, approx. 5ft 9 in. tall, with short dark hair. He was described as clean-shaven and wearing blue jeans and a black hoodie. The female is described as white, and wearing leggings and a black hoodie. The car is described as a black four-door vehicle, while the van was small, white, looking new and with a sliding door.
You can pass information via 101 or the Live Chat service at gmp.police.uk, quoting log 1205 of 14/01/25. Alternatively, you can contact the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.