PARENTS say they are worried about their children playing outside alone following an attempted abduction in Oxford.

A young boy was playing outside in Overbrook Gardens, in Blackbird Leys, when he was approached by a man at about 11.45am on Sunday.

The police said his mother, who was inside at the time, heard him talking.

Her partner went outside and found the boy, understood to be under five years old, had gone missing. He ran down the street and saw the boy with the man at the junction with Three Corners Road. He shouted at the suspect, who ran off towards Grenoble Road.

Semiu Amusan, 44, lives in the road and said police had advised his family against letting their children out on their own.

He said: “The police said if we let our kids play in the road, then we should make sure they are supervised at all times.”

Another neighbour, who did not wish to be named, said officers had told her the suspect was still at large.

She said: “I’m really worried for my own children. It’s a horrible thing to have happened.”

The suspect is white, over 6ft tall and of stocky build. He had short dark hair and was wearing a white Nike T-shirt with a small blue tick on it and black jogging bottoms or jeans.

No arrests had been made last night.

Anyone with information should call Det Sgt Mark Stalder on 101.