A 12-year-old girl was grabbed by a man as she walked along a footpath in North Lanarkshire.
Detectives say she was subjected to the common assault on Wednesday between 8.45am and 9am on a footpath at the rear of Inverkip Drive, Dykehead, in Shotts.
The girl kicked the man and managed to run off. She was uninjured but has been left badly shaken by the incident.
Police say the suspect ran off in the direction of Dyfrig Street.
He is described as white, aged between 18 and 23, about 5ft 7ins and slim. He was wearing a black jacket and black trousers - possibly jogging trousers - and a black beanie hat.
Police have been carrying out door-to-door enquiries to gather additional information. Officers will also been reviewing CCTV footage.
Detective Inspector Kenny Dalrymple said: "It's imperative we locate this man and I am appealing to people in the local community to consider if they heard or saw something.
"At that time of the morning, people may have been getting ready to go out, perhaps to buy newspapers, take children to school or make their way to work, so you may have noticed something unusual or you may have seen the suspect running off.
"If you have any information, please do contact us and pass it on.
"I'm aware that this matter will be of concern to local people and I would like to reassure everyone that additional police officers will be on patrol in the area and anyone with any concerns can speak to these officers."
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