By ELIZABETH HAIGH, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
Police are hunting for a woman who tried to 'grab' a seven-year-old girl away from her father in an attempted child abduction at a Tube station.
The woman approached the girl, who was with her father at West Ham Underground station, at around 8.30pm on Thursday.
She began speaking to the youngster and told her she wanted to 'grab' her, police said.
The woman then made attempts to hold her hand.
As the father and daughter tried to get away from her, she told bystanders that the girl's father was kidnapping her, before fleeing the station.
Officers have released images of a woman 'in connection' with the incident.
Police are hunting for a woman who tried to 'grab' a seven-year-old girl away from her father in an attempted child abduction at a Tube station
The woman approached the girl, who was with her father at West Ham Underground station, at around 8.30pm on Thursday
CCTV images show she was wearing dark clothing with a white collar and has blonde hair. In one still, she is wearing a dark hat.
Detective Constable Chris Petty of British Transport Police said: 'We appreciate reports of this nature are concerning and I would like to reassure the public that we are doing all we can to identify the woman in question.
'We're keen to speak to the person in the images who may have vital information that could assist our ongoing investigation. If you recognise her, please text her name to 61016 quoting reference 108 of 16 October.
'Information can also be given anonymously to Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111.'