Boy, 12, escapes kidnap attempt

A 12-year-old boy managed to struggle free from a would-be abductor as he walked to school in North Yorkshire, police said.

The boy was on Goosecroft Lane in Northallerton at about 0825 BST on Monday when a black BMW 5 Series with up to four men in pulled alongside him.

One of the men got out from a passenger door and tried to pull the boy into the vehicle but he managed to break free.

North Yorkshire Police said it was a "worrying and serious incident".

They appealed for witnesses to come forward.

After the boy escaped the man's grasp, the BMW drove in and out of Swain Court and was last seen passing Sainsbury's on the High Street.

BMW search

The man who grabbed the boy is described as Asian, aged in his mid-30s, about 5ft 10in tall (1.78m) with a pointy nose and a dent mark under his right eye.

He was wearing a dark suit and pink tie.

Police said the other men in the car were also Asian and dressed in suits and ties.

Det Con Jason Roper said: "I can assure parents, the school and the local community that we are doing everything we can to investigate it.

"While the boy escaped unharmed thanks to his own quick-thinking actions, it was still a very upsetting experience for him.

"It is vital that we trace the suspects and the black BMW 5 Series as soon as possible."