A teenager managed to escape after a man tried to grab her as she walked along a street in St Albans.

The 16-year-old was in Ladies Grove, walking towards the playing fields by Oysterfields in the Batchwood area of the city, on Tuesday March 1.

At around 4pm, police say a man wearing a black and red jacket attempted to grab her.

Police say he is described as being around 6ft tall and was also wearing a black shirt, blue loose-fitting joggers, and dark shoes with white soles. He also had headphones.

As part on enquiries into the incident, police say patrols are being increased in the area.

St Albans Detective Inspector Ady Lysak said: "We will be doing reassurance patrols in the area this week and speaking to residents to find out exactly what happened at 4pm. Thankfully, the girl managed to run away and was physically unharmed however this was understandably a frightening ordeal.

"This is a really unusual, isolated incident and a thorough investigation is well underway. No-one has been arrested yet but we are doing everything we can to trace the offender.

"Did you see anyone suspicious in the area around this time? Do you have a doorbell camera that may have captured the man? If you have any information at all, please get in touch."

Any witnesses or anyone with information should call 101 quoting crime reference 41/16778/22 or contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.