BY IAN CROUCH

Police are appealing for help from the public after two girls were approached at Maitland.

Around 7.45 on Monday morning, a 14-year-old girl was walking to school on Victoria Street when a man pulled up beside her in a purple car near Guide Lane and asked her several times to get in.

The girl declined and the man drove off.

About 5 minutes later, a man driving a blue Hyundai stopped next to an 11-year-old girl who was waiting at a bus stop on High Street East Maitland.

He wound down the window but drove off when another girl arrived at the bus stop.

In both incidents, the man is described as being Caucasian, about 30-40 years old, with brown hair and a beard.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.