Police in England are treating an attempt by a man to grab a teenager in an underpass as kidnap.

The woman, in her late teens, was walking through the underpass in Burnham Lane, Burnham, Buckinghamshire, at 9.30am yesterday when a man approached her.

A 34-year-old man, from Slough, Berkshire, has been arrested on suspicion of kidnap.

A Thames Valley Police spokesman said: "Initially the offender tried to engage her in conversation and walked alongside her. Then he grabbed her by the waist and started dragging her away.

"She managed to grab on to some railings and call the police on her mobile phone. At this point the offender ran off.

"The victim sustained cuts to her hand and elbow."

The offender is described as Asian, 5ft 7in, with facial stubble. He was wearing a grey jumper or sweatshirt with a red top underneath, a dark-coloured jacket and tan-coloured trousers.

Detective Constable Stuart Malham said: "We want to speak to anyone in the area at the time of the incident, in particular several people who passed the victim as she was being held by the man.

"They may have assumed there was a domestic argument going on. This was not the case and any information they may have could be vital to the investigation."