A BARROW mum has issued a warning to parents after an elderly man approached her nine-year-old daughter and tried to persuade her to get in his car.

The incident happened in School Street at around 6.25pm last night. Police said the lone nine-year-old girl was approached by an elderly man in a silver car who offered to buy her an ice cream.

In a post which has been shared on Facebook more than 1,000 times, the child's mother said: "My daughter has just been walking down School Street on her way back from Perry's shop. To a man in a silver car pulling up beside her.

"He has just tried to get her to go in his car by offering her ice cream. Lucky to say she said no and ran straight home. I have phoned the police to come take a statement off her she is very scared and worried now.

"Please please can u warn your children that if anyone in a silver car ask them to go for ice cream to come straight home and tell you and phone 101."

Anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.