A woman was subjected to lewd comments by a man who tried to drag her across the road. 

The incident happened at around 2.45pm on Thursday, December 1 outside the West Café in Hamlet Court Road, Westcliff.

The victim, a woman aged in her 20s and from the local area, was with a friend when the man approached the two women.

The man made sexual comments to the victim and then grabbed her arm trying to pull her across the road. The woman refused and the suspect headed off on foot towards London Road and the town centre.

The suspect is described as black, 5ft 8ins tall, had a London accent and was in his late 20s. He was wearing a black hat, black coat and blue jeans.

Anybody with any information or anybody who saw what happened is asked to contact Pc Ian Laithwaite at Southend on Essex Police 101.

People can also give information to the independent crime-fighting charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via an Anonymous Online Form at www.crimestoppers-uk.org