Appeal following incident in Malpas

Officers investigating an incident in Malpas are appealing for information and footage from members of the public.

Shortly after 3.15pm on Monday 22 March, a 10-year-old girl was walking along Chester Road in Malpas, from the direction of High Street.

When she was around halfway between High Street and Bishop Heber High School, a white 4x4 vehicle pulled up alongside her.

It had travelled from the direction of the high school and the A41.

A man got out of the driver’s door and offered the girl a lift. She declined and began to walk back in the direction of High Street.

The man followed her on foot for a short distance. He stopped doing so before she reached High Street.

The man is believed to be in his 40s and around 5’ 11” tall. He was stocky and had brown hair and a messy brown beard and he was wearing a red hooded top, blue jeans and black and white trainers.

Enquiries in relation to the incident are ongoing and officers are urging anyone with any information or dashcam footage that may aid their investigation to get in touch.

Sergeant Andrew Collinson said: “Incidents of this nature understandably cause concern within the local community.

“I would like to reassure residents that at no stage did the man attempt to touch the girl. She did the right thing by ignoring him and walking away.

“We have had no further reports of any similar incidents in the area, but we take any incident of this nature extremely seriously and are doing everything we can to identify the man and establish why he stopped to offer the girl a lift.

“Enquiries are ongoing and I urge anyone who was in the area and witnessed anything that may be relevant to our investigation to get in touch.

“The same goes for anyone who believes they may know who the man is, or have dashcam footage of him or the white 4x4 he was driving.”

Anyone with information or dashcam footage that may help the ongoing investigation is asked to call Cheshire Constabulary on 101, quoting IML 944746, or give the details via https://www.cheshire.police.uk/ro/report.