Police investigating reports that a six-year-old girl was abducted from her bath, sexually assaulted then dumped naked in a nearby street said yesterday her paedophile attacker was "extremely dangerous".

The child, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said she was taken from the bath in her home in North Tyneside and dumped in a cold back lane on Tuesday night, as little as 15 minutes later.

When she was found, she was so cold she could not even speak.

Last night, the girl's grandmother, who is looking after her, said she could not believe how a stranger could be so bold.

The grandmother, who lives in County Durham, said: "There are so many questions in my head and her dad's head, but it is clear from what the police have said that she doesn't know this man at all.

"So we just don't know how he knew to go in. The door was open in the house, but we don't know how he knew to try that house.

"You would see things like this on the television and I would sit here and cry looking at the news about it."

Of her grand-daughter, she said: "She seems to be coping well, though you never know what is going on underneath.

"She has been talking about the nasty man who took her away from the house and the nice man who found her crying.

"We have been crying and crying, but we all know it could have been even worse, we could have lost her, she was out there stark naked.

"Last night she was here and said to her uncle, 'I might be on the news' and told him the story. She said: 'Did you hear about the little girl who was taken away? That was me'."

Detective Chief Inspector Jim Napier, of Northumbria Police, said officers have been carrying out door-to-door inquiries in the Willington Quay area of North Tyneside, where the girl was abducted at about 7pm.

Detectives are also interviewing registered sex offenders in the area to gather more information.

Geoff Brown, who has two children aged 15 and five, found the youngster. He said: "She was totally naked and very, very distressed.

"When I picked her up she clung to me like a limpet. I called the police straight away.

"My wife cuddled her to keep her warm until the police arrived.

"She was a poor, defenceless, terrified little lass, screaming for help in a dark alley, frozen and naked. The image will stay with me as long as I live, I will never forget it."

Briefing the Press about the investigation, Det Chief Insp Napier said yesterday: "From the girl's account, somebody has been brazen enough to enter her house, take her away undressed and then assaulted her in a manner which is clearly sexually motivated, and then leave her in this lane, in the dark, on her own.

"I consider this individual to be extremely dangerous. It is a concern this man is still at large.

"I am happy the report given to us is real.

"It is credible and we are seeking a male who is not known to the girl who has taken her out and performed a sexual assault.

"The girl suffered injuries which are consistent with her account.

"Whether or not this was a chance attack is in the area of speculation and that is something that will come out in time.

"People will understandably be worried, I think it is important that people are vigilant in terms of knowing where their children are."

Detectives want to speak to a middle-aged man who was seen in the area. He was wearing dark clothes and dark gloves. He may have been watching children playing earlier in the day.

Police are working on the theory that he appeared to know the layout of the house and of surrounding streets. This may indicate that the man is local.