Police are looking for a man involved in an attempted abduction of a five year old boy near a Hastings school.

The boy was walking with his 10 year old sister to St Matthews Primary School in King Street just before 9 this morning, when a man began following them.

As they got to the school driveway, the man grabbed the boy by the hand and started leading him down the road.

He and his sister cried out and the man left.

Detective Rob Parker says they have photographs of the man and are keen to speak with him.

He was wearing bright yellow shorts, a black-and-white striped hoodie and a beanie.