DETECTIVES today renewed their appeal for witnesses to an incident in which a drunken man lunged at a ten-year-old girl outside Blackburn Railway Station.

The man, described as bald and wearing a white t-shirt and blue jeans, went to grab Louise French as she waited for her father at 6pm last Thursday.

Detective Sergeant Paul Murphy of Blackburn CID said: "Investigations are progressing but we would like to hear from anyone who may have been around the railway station or Boulevard at the time."

The youngster ran away from the man after he grabbed at her and then hid in the station until she spotted her grandfather outside the station.

She has since had nightmares and refuses to go anywhere on her own.

The incident happened around the same time that a group of eight or nine drinkers were causing havoc by brawling on the Boulevard and causing motorists to swerve to avoid them.

DS Murphy can be contacted on 01254 353565.