Friends of a four-year-old girl saved her from being driven off by a man who had bundled her into a white van.

The man approached the girl and got her into the back of a Transit-type van before driving off.

Police said he only went a few yards before the girl's friends made him stop and she escaped.

Officers refused to elaborate on how the children managed to stop the van.

The girl was grabbed at the junction of Sompting Road and Leconfield Road in the Lower Cokeham area of Lancing at about 10am on Saturday.

Detectives from Worthing said the man drove off towards the A27 after the four-year-old escaped from the back of his van.

He is described as white, tall, with dark hair and was wearing a white T-shirt.

He was driving a white Transit-type van, which was dirty and had recent damage to a rear window.

Anybody with information is asked to contact Worthing CID on 0845 6070999.