POLICE have appealed for information to what they described as, "a suspicious incident", in which a man shouted from a car to a young girl.

The nine-year-old was walking home, along Split Crow Road, in the Deckham area of Gateshead, when she was approached by a man in a black saloon car.

He shouted at her in a local accent, urging her to get into the car, but the girl ran away unhurt and the car drove away from the scene.

The man is described as white, aged between 30 to 35, of a skinny build with shoulder length black hair and a moustache.

He was wearing a blue jumper and a grey or black woolly hat.

The car he was driving, described as a black saloon, had blacked-out windows and red and black seats.

Temporary Chief Inspector Scott Hall, of Northumbria Police's Gateshead command area, said: "This is an isolated incident and we are looking to trace this man to establish what happened.

"At this stage we're keeping an open mind in what was obviously a very frightening incident for such a young girl."

Any witnesses to the incident, at 9.45pm on Friday, or anyone with information of the man, or anyone who may know him, is asked to contact police, on 03456-043043, extension 69191, or the independent charity Crimestoppers on its freephone line, 0800-555111.