POLICE are searching for a man who approached a teenage girl.

The 16-year-old was walking her dog near the duck pond in Rosemary Crescent, Tiptree, when she was approached.

The Asian man, aged between 25 and 28, spoke briefly to the girl before running off.

She was frightened and intimidated by the encounter, at 5.10pm on Tuesday and the police were called.

The man is slim build, 5ft 6ins tall and clean shaven.

He was wearing dirty work clothes, dark blue combat trousers with white stains which looked like paint splatters, a white top covered in grey stains like cement, a high-visibility sleeveless waistcoat, steel toe cap safety boots and spoke with an Essex or London accent.

Anyone with information following the suspicious behaviour is asked to contact Colchester CID on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Details of what he said have not been revealed.