A MOTHER suffered a shocking and frightening attack when a passer-by pulled down her leggings and underwear.

It happened as the victim was walking home through an underpass on Tuesday (July 5) with her two children — a toddler and a baby just a few weeks old in a pram.

The woman had just emerged from the subway at the Kearsley roundabout when the male stranger suddenly yanked down the clothing on her bottom half.

She was stood helpless for a second in the middle of the street with her leggings and underwear around her ankles.

The victim said: "At around 7pm I was walking home from Farnworth through the subway with my baby girl and my 3-year-old son.

"It's still light at that time so I didn't think anything of it but I have had my pants and underwear pulled down by a male in his late 20s with black hair.

"I think he would of done more if I hadn't have screamed at him as he didn't just pull them and run, he pulled them and was stood really close to me until I screamed."

The victim said her scream panicked the attacker and he ran off.

She said: "The police have been informed but please keep safe.

"I was attacked with my children and I hate to think what may of happened if I was alone.

"I'm shaken but OK. I just want him found so it doesn't happen again."

Greater Manchester Police confirmed it is investigating the bizarre daylight incident as a sexual offence.

A force spokesman said: "We were called to Kearsley subway under Bolton Road just after 7pm on July 5 following reports a 23-year-old had been sexually assaulted.

"She was walking with her children when a man approached her and pulled her leggings and underwear.

"He then made an obscene gesture while he was running off."

The culprit was white, slim and in his late 20s with black hair in a short back and sides cut that was longer on top.

He wore a khaki green raincoat and carried a black tablet device connected to black earphones he was wearing.

Anyone with information is urged to call police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.