A mum who caught a man trying to lure her six-year-old son away with the promise of a "new football" has shared her horror after confronting the stranger.
Chelsea Sykes, 27, said she ran over when she noticed a man holding out his hand and gesturing towards her son Jaxson, six, on Wednesday afternoon.
The youngster was walking to his friend's house near Victoria Docks in Hull, East Yorkshire, when he was allegedly approached by a man.
Thankfully, Chelsea was still within eyesight of her son but claims she "nearly had a heart attack " thinking what could have happened if she hadn't been watching.
She told Hull Live : "He tried to coax him over by the hand gesture, 'come here,' and then he proceeded to put his hand out as getting closer and closer to my child as if to say 'take my hand!'.
"He also said to my little boy, 'Come with me I’ve got you a new football'.
"I actually dread to think what would have happened if I wasn't watching and didn't run over saying 'what are you doing?'.
"This man ran away from me onto Lock Keepers Court (Victoria Dock) then was spotted again going towards Victoria Park.
"I've nearly had a heart attack thinking what could have happened to my little boy."
Chelsea urged other parents in the area to keep a close eye on their children, even in their garden.
She claimed the man wore camouflaged grey tracksuit bottoms, a colourful top with chains as part of the shirt's design, and had short, black hair.
A Humberside Police spokeswoman confirmed that the local neighbourhood policing team was aware of the incident which happened at around 4pm.
She said: "On Wednesday 13 July we received a call in relation to an alleged attempt accosting on Maldon Drive, Hull.
"A 6-year-old boy was walking to a neighbouring property to call upon a friend when his mum is reported to have witnessed an unknown man gesture towards the boy.
"The boy's mum then approached the man who is believed to have left the area. Our neighbourhood policing team is aware of the incident and continue to patrol the area engaging with residents."
