POLICE are hunting a man who it is believed attempted to snatch a ten-year-old child during a popular County Durham festival.

The girl, from the Cleveland area, was said to be very distressed following the incident at The Barnard Castle Meet today.

It happened near to the Hole-in-the-Wall car park between 3pm and 3.25pm.

The girl told police she had walked down Queen Street and was heading out onto Newgate when, as she walked past a side entrance into the car park, she was grabbed on the shoulder by the man.

She managed to escape his clutches and ran around the corner onto Newgate, where two women who were sitting on a bench took her to safety.

The girl saw the man run back towards Queen Street where he drove off in a black convertible car with blacked-out windows.

He was wearing a black Adidas tracksuit with the hood pulled up, a black baseball cap, and dark gloves and was aged 19-20 years-old. He was six feet tall and had scars on his face.

Another man, described as middle-aged, was waiting for him at the car, wearing a blue shirt and white gloves.

Sergeant Chris Knox, of Barnard Castle Police, said: "This incident tainted an otherwise perfect day.

Anyone dressed like this on such a hot day would have been very distinctive.

"We'd like to hear from the two women on the bench, and anyone who saw the vehicle or its occupants.

"We're also asking owners of black convertibles who were in the area at the time to come forward so we can eliminate them from our enquiries."

Anyone with information should contact police on 0345 6060365.