PARENTS and children are being warned to be vigilant after a teenage girl was attacked in an alleyway by a pervert.

The warning comes from the mother of the teenager who was sexually assaulted near Asda, in Witham, after the man followed her from a pub.

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.”

The shocking incident happened on Sunday and the mother says the incident has understandably left her daughter shaken.

She said: “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.

"I haven’t really thought about the future yet – my concern at the moment is her and making sure this man can’t hurt anyone else.”

The girl’s headteacher confirmed they are supporting the victim and her family.

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We are investigating after a teenage 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 fifties, with grey hair and wearing a coat and grey or black tracksuit trousers.”

Anyone with information should call the police on 101 quoting crime reference number 42/10733/19.