Man tries to snatch 9yo girl from carpark

A girl aged 9 fought off an attacker in Lyttelton on Thursday. Photo / File

A 9-year-old girl has fought off a man who allegedly tried to abduct her from a hotel carpark in Lyttelton.

The girl was playing with other children in Governors Bay Hotel's lower carpark about 4.20pm on Thursday, when she was approached by a man in a "red, shiny, expensive-looking car", according to a post on the hotel's Facebook page.

The alleged offender has been described as European.

The incident has been reported to the police.

"We have no reason to believe that the offender was within the hotel at any time and we have supplied the police with our internal CCTV," the hotel's Facebook post says.

"It very much saddens us that our community has been afflicted with what could have been an horrendous outcome and we implore anyone who has any knowledge of this car or individual's movements to contact Christchurch police."

Detective Senior Sergeant Mark Worner said police are making inquiries into the incident.

"The driver of the car has approached the child, but then has left in his car shortly after. No one was hurt in the incident."

No further information about the alleged attack is currently available, Worner said.