POLICE are appealing for information after the suspected sexual assault of a 13-year-old girl as she walked home from school.

The incident occurred in Yeadon, on Wednesday September 19 at around 3pm, police confirmed.

A police spokesperson said a man began following the teenage girl in Gill Lane.

She continued along Gill Lane onto Warm Lane and Greenlea Road before she ran off into a ginnel that runs between Greenlea Fold and Greenlea Close in an attempt to lose him, the spokesperson said.

They said: "The man then approached her in the ginnel and sexually assaulted her before running off."

The man was described as being white, aged between 30 to 40, and of a skinny build.

He was wearing black clothing, including a black tracksuit top with the hood up.

He had brown unkempt hair and was clean shaven, with what appeared to be shaving cuts on his face. He spoke with a local accent.

Detective Inspector Amanda Wimbles, of Leeds District Safeguarding Unit, said: “This is obviously a very concerning incident and we are carrying out extensive enquiries to identify the person responsible.

“The suspect has followed the victim for a considerable distance and we would like to hear from anyone who saw a man fitting the description in the area around that time."

She added: “We are making checks on CCTV in the area and would ask anyone with CCTV camera who lives along the route the victim took to review their footage around the time of the incident.

“We recognise that an incident of this nature will cause understandable concern in the community and we are liasing with our colleagues on the local neighbourhood policing team who have been increasing their patrols of the area to reassure people.”

Anyone with any information that could assist the investigation is asked to contact Leeds District Safeguarding Unit via 101 quoting crime reference 13180470386.

Or you can call the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.