Police bid to trace stranger as girl goes missing on her way to school in Armley

A five-year-old girl went missing for 25 minutes on her way to school in Leeds after being approached by a man when she got separated from her mother.

West Yorkshire Police has today issued an appeal following the incident yesterday morning as the pair were walking near to Armley Primary School, in Salisbury Terrace, at about 8.30am.

Her mother alerted school staff who searched the area and found the girl being brought back to school by her grandmother after she had gone back home which was around half a mile away.

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The girl said she had been approached by a male during the time she was missing and described him as being white with brown hair.

Police say they have been making enquiries and added there might be an innocent explanation but were keen to resolve the matter.

Acting Det Insp Amanda Wimbles, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said: “We are still in the process of getting details from the young girl involved and we are carrying out enquiries to clarify the circumstances around the male approaching her.

“We would like to hear from anyone who saw this five-year-old girl walking either alone or with this male between the school and the area around Stanningley Road at any point between 8.30am and 8.55am when she was found.

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“We appreciate there may be an innocent explanation around the involvement of the male and we would also ask for that person to contact us so that we can resolve this matter.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact Leeds District Safeguarding Unit via 101 quoting reference number 13180142279.