A TEENAGE girl was verbally abused and pushed off her skateboard by a stranger in a distressing and unprovoked assault at Poole Quay.

The victim, a 16-year-old girl, was skateboarding along the quay when a man approached her from behind and made a derogatory comment toward her.

He then pushed the victim off her skateboard, causing her to fall to the ground. The man walked away in the direction of Baiter Park.

The offender is described as white, aged between 40 to 50 years old, around five feet seven inches tall and with receding hair and facial stubble.

He was wearing a red and white polo shirt and was walking a black Staffordshire Bull Terrier-type dog, which is described as having a ‘bite mark’ injury to its face.

The victim sustained minor injuries to her hands as a result of the incident, which took place at around 2.15pm on Friday, May 29, but did not require hospital treatment.

Officers are appealing for witnesses or anyone with information to come forward following the assault.

PC Cara Bradley, of Dorset Police, said: “This was a particularly distressing and unprovoked assault on a teenage girl and I am keen to hear from anyone who witnessed what happened and would ask anyone with any information that could assist my investigation to please get in touch.”

Anyone with information should call Dorset Police on 101, quoting reference 55200076197.