Two Bristol schoolgirls say they hid in bushes for more than half an hour after a stranger tried to coax them into his car and chased them down the road.

Samantha Hunt and Katie Willett, both 13, were walking along Fulford Road to the Bridge Learning Campus in Hartcliffe when they heard a driver beep his horn at them.

Year 8 pupil Samantha said she was terrified by the incident and was now afraid to walk to school.

Police say they are investigating the incident, which is not being linked with any other recent reports of attempted abductions in the Bristol area.

Samantha said: "We looked at him, thinking 'what?' and walked on a bit more.

"He shouted 'get in the car', got out and started chasing us.

"We hid in the bushes and were in there for ages.

"We were really scared. When we got out, he wasn't there any more."

Samantha said the man was white, of medium build and with scruffy black short- to medium-length hair.

He had stubble and was wearing a black T-shirt and blue jeans, with holes in them.

He had muddy trainers on and spoke in an English accent that wasn't from the Bristol area.

He was driving a small green car when the incident happened before 9am last Wednesday.

Samantha added: "I'm really scared about walking to school now."

Katie now walks to school with her mum Jane.

She said: "When we were hiding I was really upset and scared."

When the girls arrived at their school on Teyfant Road they told the teachers what happened and staff reported it to the police later that morning.

But Samantha's parents Sally and Ian are unhappy officers did not visit the family at their house on Wexford Road until 5.50pm that day.

Sally, 45, said: "It's two girls being chased by a bloke and there seems to be a lot of it going around at the moment.

"The police should have come straight away and he might have been spotted in the area.

"We have to take Sam to school now because she's lost all confidence."

Avon and Somerset police spokeswoman Catherine Foster said: "Police were called to Hawkfield Road at 10.44am on Wednesday, June 24, after reports that a man had approached two girls and asked them to get into his car.

"The two girls ran away and officers conducted a search of the area.

"The incident is still under investigation.

"There is a formal complaints procedure in place for anybody who is not satisfied with the service they have received from the police."

Anyone who believes they saw the incident or knows who the suspect is should call 0845 456 7000.