Man saves little girl as stranger tries to abduct her near Melbourne school

A father walking his daughter home from school saved an 11-year-old girl who was almost abducted by a stranger.

"It's really hard to even imagine what could have happened," Ryan Ghambari said of the terrifying ordeal in Melbourne's east last month.

The girl was walking home from school along Landscape Drive in Doncaster East when she was approached by an unknown man in a grey Audi Q3 SUV about 2.40pm on Thursday, March 28.

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The man "forcefully" asked the girl to get in his car.

Terrified, the girl ran and hid in a bush, but police her ordeal wasn't over. The man did a U-turn and then waited a little while for the girl.

That's when she begged Ghambari for help.

"When she approached me she was really shaking, she couldn't talk, she couldn't even breath," he said.

Ghambari comforted the girl and reunited her with her family, her dad already driving around at the time looking for her.

"He said 'thank you, thank god you were here'," Ghambari said.

Police are investigating and have appealed for any witnesses to come forward.

"[The girl] was terrified, she felt like she was going to be taken by this male," Detective Senior Constable Brooke Miller said.

"A little girl should feel safe to walk home from school and what he's actually done is horrible."

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Detectives believe the Audi drove south on Taurus Road.

Police released a computer-generated image of a man they believe may be able to help with their inquiries.

He is described as being Middle Eastern in appearance with tan skin, black hair, a black beard, and a moustache.

He was wearing sunglasses with brown lenses and a grey T-shirt.

Anyone who witnessed the incident, or with other information should contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.

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