An attacker was forced to flee after a dog barked to protect a teenage girl.
The 16-year-old was targeted on a footpath off Connaught Place in Edinburgh between 9.20pm and 9.25pm on Monday night.
She was approached from behind by an unidentified person, who attempted to grab her clothing.
The victim’s dog then barked which caused the attacker to run off in an unknown direction.
Police said the suspect – who was wearing a dark-coloured puffa jacket – is believed to be male and of average build.
Detective inspector Paul Greig said: “The girl was not injured but was understandably shaken by the incident.
“We are carrying out extensive enquiries to establish the full circumstances and people may notice an ongoing police presence in the area.
“I would appeal to anyone who was in the area around Connaught Place who may have seen anything suspicious or out of the ordinary to come forward and pass this information to police.
“I would also ask anyone who may have private CCTV or dashcam footage to review this and pass anything of note to us.”
If you have any information, call 101.
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