THREE teenage girls came to the aid of a woman who was attacked in the street by a stranger.

The group acted after hearing the victim, who had been grabbed by the arm, scream and cry for help in Dobb Brow Road, Westhoughton.

The pals —Sasha McDonald, Jess Whittle and Naomi Kirwood, all aged 18 — ran to help the woman who was in a distressed state.

Miss McDonald was chatting with her friends in the street when she noticed a suspicious looking man walk past them twice before hearing the girl's screams.

The victim, thought to be aged 20, was outside her own house and was knocking on windows trying to raise the alarm when the girls ran to help her.

Miss McDonald, who lives on Wearish Lane, said: "I stayed with her while my two friends chased him.

"Once I'd made sure that she was safely back inside with her family, mum pulled up at the side and we went looking for him, but we couldn't find him. It is scary and very weird really. One of my friends says she has seen a man similar to him lurking in back streets at 3am.

"We think it's the same guy. He needs to be caught."

Mum Nicola McDonald said she was proud of the girls for raising the alarm.

She said: "The girls were really brave and they could have evidence. This guy has walked past them about eight times at 9.15pm. She screamed for help and they have run across and the guy has run off. He has tried grabbing her at the side of her own house.

"She was knocking on the windows trying to get the attention of people inside."

No one has been arrested so far.

A police spokesman said: "On the evening of Thursday, February 19, a teenager had her arm grabbed by a stranger in Dobb Brow Rd.

"The man responsible ran away once the victim screamed but obviously she was shaken by the incident.

"The male was described as white, about 5ft 5in tall, of a slim build, and aged in his late 30s.

"He was wearing a dark coloured hat, a dark blue hooded coat, and bottoms and was carrying a Tesco bag.

"If anyone can assist the police with this enquiry they should ring 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111."