Woman arrested after attempted child abduction

Police said they had stepped up patrols to provide reassurance following the incidents

Police have arrested a 54-year-old woman in connection with an attempted child abduction near Southport.

Merseyside Police said they had received two reports of a woman in a car acting suspiciously in the Stamford Road area of Birkdale in Merseyside on the afternoon of Wednesday 6 November.

They received a report of a teenage male being touched inappropriately and a second report of a schoolgirl being offered a lift. The girl did not get into the car and no physical contact occurred, they added.

Police said a woman arrested on suspicion of sexual touching and the attempted abduction of a child had been released on conditional bail pending enquiries.

Det Insp Edward Barr said: “Our enquiries are at the very early stages as we seek to establish what has taken place and I would ask people not to comment or speculate while enquiries are being carried out."

He said it was "important that we are able to carry out our investigation fully and fairly", adding that they were continuing to support those affected and their families.

“We have increased patrols in the Birkdale area to reassure people and I would ask anyone with any concerns or with information which could assist with our enquiries to contact us as a matter of urgency," he added.