Detectives in West Sussex are hunting a man who tried to drag a terrified 14-year-old girl into his car.

The attempted abduction took place on a housing estate at Chichester but police now plan to study the details of three similar incidents from the Worthing area to establish whether they are linked.

The Chichester girl was walking home through the Greenfield Road-Swanfield Road area at 6.30pm on Friday when a man pulled up next to her in a silver car, possibly a Vauxhall Corsa.

He asked for the time but as the girl approached the car he grabbed her arm and tried to pull her inside.

The girl broke free and ran away. A police spokesman said: "She suffered a bruised arm and was very shocked."

On October 2 a man tried to drag a 14-year-old schoolgirl into his car in the Roedean Road, Worthing.

That attempted abduction followed two similar incidents in the town in previous weeks.

Detective Sergeant Chris Neilson, heading the hunt, said: "I will speak to officers at Worthing to see if there may be a link but at this stage we are keeping an open mind.

"Our advice to young girls is to be very careful and wary if they are approached and not to go near the vehicle."

The man being hunted at Chichester is about 40 with greying hair and a pointed nose. He wore a light blue polo shirt and grey jogging bottoms.