A SCHOOLBOY had a terrifying ordeal after a man tried to snatch him in the street while he walked to school.

The would-be abductor let go of the boy after the brave 10-year-old kicked his attacker in the shins.

The man leapt out of bushes and lunged at his victim yesterday morning.

It happened in a cut-through popular with children in Bailey Lane in Breightmet at 8.50am as the youngster was on his way to Red Lane Primary School just 200 metres away.

Witness appeal and extra police patrols after boy, aged 10, escapes abduction attempt

The victim’s older sister said: “My brother is 10, but he looks about seven. He’s tiny. The man grabbed him by his bag. My brother dropped the bag and he grabbed his arm.

“He tried to drag him up Bailey Lane. He knew exactly what he was doing. There must have been a bit of a struggle. He did mumble something to my brother, but my brother couldn’t understand what he was saying. My brother kicked him in the shin, near the knee, and the man’s said ‘ow!’ and let go of him.”

The brave 10-year-old managed to break free, leaving his satchel behind on the ground and ran to his primary school, where he arrived at around 8.55am.

It is understood the boy found the office locked and so turned round and walked back to his Breightmet home with a friend, possibly collecting his bag en route.

The sister said: “My mum said when he got home he was shaking.

“She had to help him because his legs were buckling under him and he started crying.

“He was probably in shock and he just flopped over.”

The boy had a bruise on his arm from the struggle and a police officer took a picture of the injury as part of the investigation into the incident.

In a statement posted on social media, GMP said: “He grabbed the boy’s satchel and tried to pull it off his arm, then tried to grab the boy’s arm.

“The man is described as being approximately 30 years old, white, suntanned, wearing a yellow top and black trousers.”

The sister said the attempted abductor was foreign, wore a black baseball cap with a logo for energy drink firm Monster on the front and had dark circles or bags under his eyes.

He is not thought to live locally and is unclear whether he escaped on foot or by car from the scene.

The sister said: “We just want to make parents aware of the dangers.

“Obviously the man is still on the loose.

“When I spoke to my brother on the phone is when it hit home. It’s horrible.”

Her little brother had only recently been allowed to walk to school on his own by their mother in a bid to boost his independence.

Now this horrifying attack has taken place the mother will be taking the 10-year-old to school from now on.

The sister said: “I’m just really shocked. I can’t my head around it.

“What was the motive? The gloves definitely shows an intention to do something.”

Red Lane Primary School and nearby Bolton St Catherine’s Academy have been informed the attempted snatch and the primary school has informed parents.

Anyone who saw the suspect or knows of any similar suspicious incidents should ring police on 101.