Barrow police warn parents after second incident involving a man trying to lure a child into his car

The first incident happened at around 6.25pm on Monday when Abbie Dougan's nine-year-old daughter Jamie-Leigh was approached by a man in a silver car who asked her if she wanted an ice cream.

Jamie-Leigh ran home and told her mother, who reported the incident to police.

Then last night, at around the same time of night, a seven-year-old boy witnessed a man, again in a silver car, offering an ice-cream to a young boy in Island Road, not far from the first incident.

Sergeant Leanne Clark of Barrow police said the two incidents are being linked and has urged parents to be cautious.

She said: "The child has witnessed the incident and run home and told his parents. He was on Island Road when he saw a man in a silver car ask a young boy if he wanted an ice-cream.

"We are treating the two as linked and if any other parents are aware of any similar incidents we would ask them to call us on 101."

CCTV footage from the Co-Op in Island Road is being examined by police in a bid to track down the suspect.

Miss Dougan, of Newland Terrace, told the Evening Mail that since Monday she has been contacted by a number of parents who were aware of other incidents involving an individual approaching young children.

She said: "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."

READ MORE: Barrow mum's warning to parents

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, aged around 50 and with grey or blonde short hair and wearing a grey jumper.