A BARROW mum has spoken of the terrifying moment a man tried to lure her young daughter into his car with the promise of an ice-cream.

Abbie Dougan's nine-year-old daughter Jamie-Leigh was on her way home from Perry's corner shop in Ramsden Street when a silver car pulled up alongside her at around 6.25pm on Monday. The male driver then attempted to entice Kamie-Leigh into his car by offering her some ice-cream.

To Miss Dougan's relief, her daughter had the sense to run away, down School Street towards her home, with the man shouting after her that he was "sorry".

Miss Dougan, who also has two sons aged seven and nine months, said Jamie-Leigh has refused to leave her side since the frightening incident.

"She came in the house and was out of breath," the mum-of-three said.

"I thought she'd had an argument with a little boy at first but then she told me an old man had tried to get her into his car by offering her some ice-cream."

Miss Dougan immediately called the police, who sent a female officer round to interview young Jamie-Leigh.

Miss Dougan, of Newland Terrace, said: "She slept in my bed last night, she didn't want to go in her own bed. She's not left my side all day.

"The scary thing is some children might have got in the car. As adults we know how dangerous people can be but children don't.

"I've told her how clever she is for knowing to come straight home and not to get in the car."

In a post which has been shared on Facebook more than 1,000 times, Miss Dougan, 29, has attempted to warn other parents about the man.

She posted: "Please, please can you warn your children that if anyone in a silver car asks them to go for an ice cream to come straight home and tell you."

Police have appealed for anyone with information to call 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. The man is described as white, around 50 and with grey or blonde short hair and wearing a grey jumper.