A teenager was forced to run away after she was approached by a man on a bicycle.

The 13-year-old was on Garland Road in Colchester at around 6pm on Sunday when the man rode up to her and reached out towards her. The girl immediately ran away.

Investigating officer PC Rosie Obeney said: “At this stage, we’re not sure why the man approached the girl, who he is and whether he lives in the area.

“We would ask him to contact us so that we can establish whether or not there was a misunderstanding between him and the girl.”

The man is described as white, aged in his late 30s and of skinny build. He is approximately 5 ft 9 ins tall and was wearing a black beanie, a black duffle coat, which had a fur-trim hood, and black plimsoles.

The black mountain bike had exposed handlebars with no grip.

Officers carried out a search of the area for the man and then conducted house-to-house enquiries to see if anyone recognised him from his description.

Anyone with information should contact Colchester Police Station on 101.