Man charged over using sweets to abduct six-year-old girl at Christmas fair

Child was 'understandably scared' but not physically harmed, police say

The girl was visiting the fair in Egham town centre with her family (Egham Town Team)

A man has been charged with trying to abduct a six year-old girl at a Christmas fair.

Arkadiusz Madraszek, 47, is accused of approaching the child in Egham town centre in Surrey on Saturday afternoon.

He was arrested after police received reports that a man had offered the girl sweets and toys.

The suspect was charged with three counts of attempted child abduction and was remanded in custody when he appeared at Staines Magistrates Court on Monday.

Surrey Police said the girl was not physically harmed but was “understandably scared”.

The force also issued a list of tips for parents on how to keep children safe in crowded places.

Detective Inspector Gemma Scott, of the Safeguarding Investigation Unit said: “As Christmas is fast approaching and markets and shopping centres are getting busier, I would like to encourage parents to take all the necessary precautions to ensure their children are safe in crowded places.

“Thankfully, instances like this are extremely rare, but we want to make sure parents are aware of steps they can take to ensure their children stay safe."

The tips include reminding children to stay together, identifying a safe place to meet up and getting them to keep or memorise a contact number to call in the event they are separated.