A TEENAGE girl was left “frightened out of her life” after she was followed by a “suspicious man” in Eastwood. 

The 16-year-old, from Southend, was left shaken after being followed by the stranger as she walked to her work experience placement on Monday. 

Despite changing direction, crossing the road, and speeding up, the man allegedly continued to follow her, without “taking his eyes off” the teenager.

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Essex Police have confirmed officers attended and carried out a search but were unable to locate the man. 

The student, who asked not to be named, said: “He followed me from the end of Brendon Way and kept looking at me. 

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“At first I didn’t think anything of it, but when I crossed the road he wouldn’t take his eyes off of me.

“Then he crossed over and started walking in front of me just past Western Approaches, and kept looking back to make sure I was there.

“Then he crossed the road at Corner Way but I stopped to see if he would keep walking but he didn’t - he saw I stopped and he stopped too.”

She added: “I started walking back towards Western Approaches then he followed again; I then sped up, and so did he.

“Eventually I managed to run towards a group of people, and he then disappeared.

“I was just panicking and couldn’t even think properly. I was so scared.”

The man was described as having a black beard, and wore a black coat and with his hood up. 

He was short and skinny, and probably in his 30s.

Her girl’s mum added: “She called me frightened out of her life saying ‘Someone’s following me’.

“I was terrified for her. She saw some people so I said to go to them, and she started running towards them while I ran out of work and jumped in the car to get her as quickly as I could.

“He then left her alone when she got to the people and disappeared.

“Now now this has happened and I have been made aware of other incidents since, I no longer feel she is safe to go out alone.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said: “We were called shortly before 9am on Monday following a report of a man acting suspiciously in Snakes Lane.

“Police attended and searched the area but could not find anyone.

“No offences were identified.”