Parents are being urged to be extra vigilant, after an incident occurred in Sale town centre.
A young boy believed to be a pupil at a local primary school was involved in an incident at a busy shopping centre.
The boy who cannot be named for legal reasons, was approached by a man near School Road in Sale town centre.
The suspect walked up to the child, started a conversation and then picked the boy up and ran, he was stopped by members of the public and the youngster's carer.
The man was described as in his fifties, of average height, wearing a grey coat and woolly hat.
Local schools are urging parents in the area to be extra careful when out with their children.
A GMP spokesman said: "We are treating the matter as ‘suspicious circumstances’ and not an attempted abduction. Investigations are ongoing however all children should be reminded about staying safe and keeping close to their adults at this busy time of year."
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