Police are appealing for witnesses after a teenage girl was punched by a man in an unprovoked attack in Paignton on Tuesday.

At around 9.15pm the 15-year-old girl was out walking her dog in the Fairy Cove area of the town’s harbour when she was approached by a man who made comments to her of a sexual nature.

He then punched her once to the face causing minor injury and made off.

The suspect is described as being more than six-feet-tall, in his 20s to 30s, with short dark hair, of skinny build, wearing a dark hoody, jeans and smelling of alcohol.

A police spokesman said: “We are investigating a disturbing, unprovoked attack on a young girl as she walked her dog on the beach.

“We are appealing to anyone who may have been in the area between the pier and the harbour at the time and who may have witnessed anything out of the ordinary to please make contact with police on 101 or through Crimestoppers on 0800 555111 quoting police ref, FP/14/696.”