Detectives hunting a would-be kidnapper were today sifting through masses of information from Crimewatch viewers.

More than 200 calls were made to police overnight following a reconstruction of the attempted abduction of an eight-year-old girl on last night's BBC1 show.

Calls came in to the Crimewatch studio and to Rother CID at Bexhill from across the country, including Coventry, Portsmouth and Northern Ireland.

Many were made by members of the public but other calls came from police officers and a prison officer. Detectives said that a number of interesting pieces of information had surfaced as a result of last night's re-enactment by child actresses.

The eight-year-old was playing with friends in Woodsgate Avenue, Bexhill, on Sunday, May 18, when the man appeared from bushes at the junction of The Avenue and London Road.

The distinctive-looking attacker, in his 40s with long ginger hair and a pierced eyebrow, grabbed her round the throat and threatened her.

He lifted the girl by her neck and made further threats before she wriggled free as her friend screamed for help.

Detective Inspector Trevor Bowles, leading Operation Redoubt, said there was a possibility the man was not local.

He said today: "We are delighted with the number of calls we have received. There is a substantial amount of work to be done and we have a lot to follow up in the days and weeks to come."

The girl's mother spoke last night of the devastating effect the incident has had, saying her daughter now never asks to go out to play.

However, police said the youngster has been courageous and that she had retained a lot of information about her attacker.

A £10,000 police reward has been put up for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the attacker.

The reward was offered this week after more than a month passed without an arrest despite extensive publicity and police inquiries.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Operation Redoubt incident room on 0845 6070999 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.