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Four men have been arrested on suspicion of the attempted kidnapping of several young girls in East Yorkshire.

Humberside Police said it was called to two separate incidents in the Scalby Lane area of Gilberdyke on Wednesday evening.

Three girls had been approached by men who asked them to get into a vehicle. A short time later, a group of men had been "behaving suspiciously" towards two nine-year-old girls outside a shop, the force said.

The men, aged 30, 31 and 39, were arrested on suspicion of attempted child abduction.

One of the 39-year-old men was also held on suspicion of a separate assault.

In the first incident, one of the three girls called her parents, who came to collect the children. The two nine-year-olds were able to leave the scene safely after a passer-by intervened, police said.

Det Insp Samantha Chester said: “I understand incidents of this nature will cause alarm amongst the local community, and I would like to offer my reassurance that we always treat this type of report incredibly seriously.

“I’d like to thank the member of the public who intervened when they spotted the men acting suspiciously towards the girls, allowing them to leave the area safely on their bikes, as well as the parents who called it in to us."

She said there would be "an increased police presence in the area" while officers conducted inquiries.

She also appealed to people who might have information to come forward - in particular, those with dashcam or CCTV footage from the area.

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