Police hunt black Astra after three attempted kidnaps on teenage girls in a week

Watch: Police footage of car connected to attempted kidnap of teens

Police hunting a man suspected of three attempted kidnaps on teenage girls in less than a week have released footage of a car they want to trace.

Detectives say the man tried to force three schoolgirls into his car in separate incidents in Salford, Greater Manchester, with two of the incidents happening on the same night.

The girls, two aged 15 and one aged 13, were left “extremely shaken up” by the incidents, which took place at different locations.

During one encounter, which happened at 6.15 pm on 21 November, a 15-year-old girl was approached by the wanted man at a bus stop in the Monton Green area of the city.

Police investigating the kidnapping attempts said he first “made advances” towards her before trying to “physically get her to go” with him in his black Vauxhall Astra.

The force believed the man had made another kidnap attempt just hours later, and another one five days earlier on 16 November.

They have released video of the vehicle used in the incidents and hope the distinctive silver wing mirror cover might help motorists identify the car.

Two brief clips show the Astra crawling along Rocky Lane and Monton Road in the Eccles area of Salford, while the third is from Folly Lane, Swinton.

Detective Inspector Chris Horsfield said: “The victims have been left extremely shaken up by this encounter and it’s very important that we get this man identified and off the streets as soon as possible.

“We believe that the man we want to speak to may have been driving a dark-coloured hatchback car, but we need to review dashcam footage to identify the make, model and registration plate.

“We are appealing to drivers in the areas on the dates and times above to please submit their dashcam footage to us, so our specialised officers can go through and analyse it.”