POLICE mounted a search after a woman reported that someone tried to take her child while they were in Grays town centre.

Local resident Mica Lauren Frith reported the incident which happened when she and her sister were shopping on Wednesday (3 December), accompanied by baby Elsie.

Mica says: "We went to Burger King for lunch with the kids.

"My sister went to order our food and I was getting Elsie out the pram to put into the high chair when a foreign women come over to me and tried to take her from me saying 'Give me the baby oh look at my baby'.

"I told her and carried on trying to put her into her high chair the lady then grabbed her and tried taking her out so my first instinct was to cling on to her tight and bring her closer to me.

"The women then run to her table grabbed her stuff and ran out of Burger King.

"We spent a good hour and half down the police station and they went still out looking for the woman.

"Please watch your children I can't imagine what would have happened if this lady would have taken Elsie."

Essex police have confirmed reports of the incident and said: "We were contacted shortly before 3.40pm on Wednesday, 4 December with reports a woman attempted to abduct a child in The Mall, Grays.

"Officers carried out a search but the woman was not found."