Appeal over child abduction bids

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Police are investigating a possible link between two failed child abduction incidents in Glasgow.

A seven-year-old girl managed to escape from a man who had grabbed her at about 1505 GMT on Monday at the rear of the Dental Hospital in Renfrew Street.

About 40 minutes later a man tried to grab a seven-year-old boy as he boarded a bus at Great Western Road.

Both children were uninjured during their ordeals. Police have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

Police said that during the first incident the seven-year-old girl had been grabbed from behind.

She managed to loosen the man's grip and ran off towards a relative's house where her mother was waiting for her.

The girl described the man as being 23 to 26-years old, about 5ft 8in in height with blond spiky hair.

He was wearing a black jacket, grey jumper and dark blue jeans at the time of the attack.

Children should be reminded that if they are approached by strangers they should run, yell and tell another adult what has happened Det Insp Andy McWilliamStrathclyde Police During the second incident, a seven-year-old boy was grabbed from behind by a man who tried to stop him from getting on a bus with his childminder and her other children.

The boy managed to escape and board the bus after the childminder intervened.

The man is described as white, 30 to 35-years-old, with receding light brown hair.

He was wearing a dark jacket and dark jeans at the time of the attack and was carrying a large black holdall.

Det Insp Andy McWilliam, of Strathclyde Police, said: "At this stage due to the close proximity in time and location we are not ruling out the possibility of a link.

"I would appeal to anyone who may have witnessed the incidents or who can identify the suspect or suspects to come forward as a matter of urgency.

"I would also remind parents to stress to their children the importance of never going off with strangers.

"Children should be reminded that if they are approached by strangers they should run, yell and tell another adult what has happened."