Warning after girls targeted by man who takes shoes off them before sniffing feet

Students are being urged not to walk to and from South Gloucestershire and Stroud College alone after a series of incidents involving young girls.

SGS College says police are investigating three incidents where lone female children have been approached by a man who has asked them for the time before taking their shoes off and sniffing their feet.

In a statement, the college said: "The police have advised students not to walk to or from college alone, have mobile phones with them when walking to and from college and to call 999 straight away if any unknown male tries to come up to them or speak to them without a valid reason.

"The male has been described as being a white male, 5ft 6ins, skinny build, short blonde/brown hair, patchy beard, blue eyes, spotty complexion and around 19 years old.

"He has targeted females between the ages of 10 and 15 with in the areas of Yate and Chipping Sodbury between 3pm and 5pm."

"The victim described the offender as white, with blonde hair and aged in his 20s around 5ft 9in tall. He was wearing a light red, blue and white block colour coat, dark trousers and blue trainers.

"Officers are also keeping an open mind as to whether the incident is linked with another which took place on Monday 21 March at 4.30pm.

"In this incident a white man touched a girl inappropriately in an underpass near Sandhurst Street, Yate.

"On both occasions the victims ran away and were unhurt. The E-Fit image we’re releasing is based on the description of the offender in the first incident."

If you have any information please call police on 101 and quote the following crime reference numbers 5222011047/5222067867 and 5222125160.