A DISTRAUGHT mum claims her son was in danger of being abducted in a terrifying ordeal.

The 12-year-old was fixing the chain on his bike on Birchfield Road in Widnes when a man jumped out the back of a black VW van and approached him with his arm raised.

The startled boy, from Widnes, rode off and came home traumatised.

His 33-year-old mum said: “He didn’t stop shaking for three hours.

“I just cuddled him. It was horrible.

“It is unbearable to think what could have happened. I was petrified.”

The police are investigating and appealing for witnesses.

They stress there is no evidence that the man 'grabbed' the boy but approached him 'with his arm raised'.

The Ormiston Chadwick Academy pupil had been cycling with two of his friends towards the Shell garage on Lunts Heath Road between 5pm and 6.30pm on Wednesday, January 4.

The boy was on his way to meet his girlfriend when the suspicious incident happened near Birchfield Road gardens opposite the Pesto restaurant.

“His friends rode off and a van pulled up slowly behind him,” said his mum.

“A man jumped out of the back of the van and held his hand out towards him.

“He didn’t say anything. I believe he was trying to abduct him. Luckily my son got away. He saw a policeman on his way home and told him what had happened.”

The incident, she said, had left her son feeling nervous and unsettled.

“He is normally really confident but this has shaken him up,” she said.

“He has not been sleeping properly.”

She wants to warn children and parents to be vigilant.

“It was horrible for a mother to see her son go through this,” she added. “This man is still out there I don’t want any other kid going through this. It is horrible.

“My son is starting to go out again although he doesn’t go far.

“He has a good loving family around him and is now coping quite well.”

The man is described as being in his mid 20s, of stocky build with a stubbly ginger beard.

He was wearing a black hooded top and black trousers.

Chief Inspector Richard Rees said: “At no point did the man appear to grab or speak to the victim.

“However, he has been scared by the incident and we are keen to establish the full circumstances of what has occurred.

“I would like to reassure the public that this appears to be an isolated incident and no further incidents have been reported.

“However we advise residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicions.”

Anyone with information in relation to the incident should contact Cheshire Police on 101 quoting incident number 444 of 6 January 2017.