POLICE have taken steps to reassure dog owners in Worcester after a woman reported that a man tried to snatch her dog while she was walking him.

The woman claimed that she was walking her golden retriever, called Harvey, by the canal near the football area at Perdiswell Leisure Centre when a man on a bike rode past her before returning and, she says, attempting to snatch her dog.

The woman warned other dog owners who use Perdiswell Park to be vigilant in an anonymous post on the popular Facebook page Spotted: Worcester.

She wrote: “Please be aware if walking your dog off lead at Perdiswell leisure centre and surrounding golf club.

“A man on a bike near the canal alongside Perdiswell football area attempted to take my golden retriever.

“He waited and weighed up the situation on the other side of the bridge then came over the footbridge, riding past me, parked his bike and attempted to take Harvey.”

She added: “Please stay alert. The man was around 50/60 years old, around 5’ 10” tall and dressed in dark working type clothing and a woolie hat.”

The Worcester News has contacted the woman but she declined to be identified.

Officers from West Mercia Police confirmed they had received a report about an attempt to snatch a dog at around 6.11pm on Tuesday, February 5.

Police say they will visit the woman to offer reassurance.

A spokesman added: “This incident is quite rare. This is the first report of its kind for quite a while.”

Anyone with information about the incident can call police on non-emergency number 101, quoting incident number 0590s 050219.