A hunt was today under way for a knifeman who terrorised two schoolgirls in a Bradford park.

He first struck when a 16-year-old girl walked through Peel Park, Undercliffe, on her way to school yesterday morning.

Police also believe he threatened an 11-year-old girl a short time later.

Both victims are pupils at Hanson School, Swain House.

Police carried out a search of the park immediately after the incident was reported at about 7.45am and have appealed for witnesses to come forward.

The 16-year-old, Charlotte Booth, said she was listening to her i-pod when she was confronted by the knifeman.

She said: "I turned to go up a gravel path and that's when I first saw the man - he was about three-quarters of the way up. He looked really weird, I had my doubts about him, but he turned round and walked a couple of metres back up the path away from me.

"It seemed like he had a dog with him. He kept looking round as he walked up and then he turned back round and walked straight towards me.

"I was really scared and I didn't know what to do - I just froze.

"As he got closer I could hear him say something but couldn't work out what it was because I had my i-pod on.

"But then I looked down and saw he was holding this knife down near his stomach.

"I just screamed and my body went really heavy and I fell over as I stepped backwards, hurting my hip. He had started to run off, but came back after me when he saw I was on the ground.

"But I kept on screaming and he ran off. I managed to get up and ran home screaming."

Charlotte, who was due to take a GCSE science exam today, said her sister usually walks through the park with her for added security, but did not go the whole way yesterday as she was on study leave.

Friends and family spent yesterday comforting Charlotte, who has a large graze on her hip caused by her fall, at her home in Undercliffe.

Charlotte's mother, Gail, said the experience had been traumatic for the whole family while her father, Roland, warned teenagers to be wary of their surroundings at all times, especially if they are listening to music as they walk on their own.

A police spokesman described the suspect as being a white male in his 30s, of a stocky build, wearing a blue coat with a white stripe on it.

No-one at Hanson School was available for comment last night.

Anyone with information should contact Bradford North CID on (01274) 376366 or contact 0845 6060606 and ask for PC Jerome Nathaniel.