Police say they are investigating after a 14-year-old reported she had been sexually assaulted.

The youngster was walking past the Woolpack Inn pub, in Witham, when a man who was stood outside began insulting her.

The victim’s mother said: “She left the house to go and meet a friend and she was walking past the Woolpack Inn pub when a man outside the pub started shouting at her.

“He was calling her names and telling her she was anorexic and too skinny and just things like that.

“She didn’t think much of it and just assumed he was some drunk guy standing outside of a pub, so she kept walking.”

But the man followed the youngster along Church Street, where the pub is, down Moat Farm Chase and along Chelmer Road before launching his attack in a nearby alleyway.

The mother continued: “He grabbed her by the shoulder and swung her round – her first thought was that it was her friend but it was this man.

“She told him to get off but then he started to touch her inappropriately.

“That was when she shouted at him to get off and she managed to get away and run home.”

“She was really upset. She didn’t go to school on Monday and I went in to speak to them about it and they were really good."

A spokesman for Essex Police said: "We are investigating after a 14 year-old girl reported she had been sexually assaulted in Witham.

"The victim was walking along Church Street at around 3.50pm on Sunday, January 20.

"A man standing outside the Woolpack Pub tried to engage her in conversation before walking after her and touching her inappropriately.

"The girl then ran home.

"The man has been described as in his 50s, with grey hair and wearing a coat and grey or black tracksuit trousers."

It happned at around 3.40pm on Sunday, January 20.

Anyone with information is asked to call police on 101 quoting crime reference number 42/10733/19.