A mother has told how her teenage daughter was left shaken and needed counselling after a woman tried to abduct her in Hythe.

Beth Moon, 14, a pupil at Brockhill Park Performing Arts College (BPPAC), got off the number 10 bus from London Road and crossed the road to wait for another bus in Red Lion Square, to Palmarsh, where she lives.

The woman, who is being hunted by police, had got on the bus shortly before the stop but got off at the same time as Beth.

Her mother, Jo Moon, said it was then that the woman asked her to get in the car which she claimed was parked at Hythe Green, just a short walk away.

Mrs Moon said: “After several times of saying ‘No, I don’t know you’ and ‘It’s fine, I’m getting the bus’ the lady got more forceful and started demanding and swearing.

“Beth was now scared and crying. Luckily an older gent by this time had appeared at the bus stop saw Beth’s distress.”

“Beth is made of strong stuff. She is mature and sensible for her age, luckily, and now it’s in police hands and we will wait to see what happens” - Mrs Moon

The man helped to calm the teenager down and made sure she was okay on the bus ride home.

But when she got home the teenager broke down in tears.

Her mother said: “Beth is made of strong stuff. She is mature and sensible for her age, luckily, and now it’s in police hands and we will wait to see what happens.”

Beth was given counselling the next day at school.

The incident happened just before 6pm on Tuesday, September 27.

A text was sent out to parents and guardians the next day from Brockhill.

It said: “It has come to our attention that after school yesterday one of our students was the victim of an attempted abduction.

“Students have been notified and asked to be vigilant and walk in pairs to and from the school to be safe.”

The vice principal at BPPAC, Charles Joseph, said: “We have, of course, alerted other local schools in the area as well as parents of our students.

“This matter is now in the hands of the police and we cannot comment further.”