Strangers help child after man allegedly tries to lure him from Gold Coast park

A primary school boy and his family have been left shaken after a man allegedly tried to lure the child away from a busy Gold Coast park before members of the public intervened.

Police allege a 50-year-old man approached the 11-year-old boy at Esplanade South Park at Paradise Point about 3pm on Wednesday.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Brave strangers stop terrifying alleged child luring

It is alleged the man began talking to the boy, repeatedly touched his shoulder and attempted to lead him away before a passer-by noticed what was happening and called police.

Officers arrived within minutes and arrested a 50-year-old man nearby.

The boy’s grandmother said she was incredibly grateful to the strangers who recognised something was wrong and intervened.

“He wasn’t their child, they didn’t know who he was and they were still watching out for him and made the decision to call the police,” she told 7NEWS.

“I’m just grateful, he could’ve been another Daniel Morcombe.”

The abduction and murder of 13-year-old Daniel Morcombe, who was taken while waiting alone at a Sunshine Coast bus stop in 2003, transformed child safety education and awareness across Queensland.

According to the grandmother, the boy had been riding home from school with a friend when he stopped at the park to go to the public toilets.

She said he was getting back on his bike when the man allegedly stopped him, asked his name, where he lived and how old he was, before touching his shoulder and telling him he wanted him to come back to his home.

The situation was interrupted after a woman walking her dog became concerned and called police, while another grandmother nearby also noticed something was wrong.

The second woman’s grandson told her: “I’m going to go save that boy.”

He ran over waving his phone and calling out, “Your mum’s on the phone,” prompting the man to step away.

“I’m just so grateful to all of those people that stepped in,” the grandmother said.

“They altered the course of this.”

His grandmother said she arrived to find what she described as “a sea of police officers”.

She praised officers for their swift response.

“They were there quicker than I could get down there from here and I don’t live very far,” she said.

“I’m really impressed with the way that they handled it and the way that they handle it.”

While physically unharmed, she said her grandson had been deeply affected by the ordeal.

“He’s a little bit more afraid and has got a bit of a different view of the world, I think, which is a shame.”

The grandmother said she hoped the incident would remind people to trust their instincts if they believed a child could be in danger. “I love that there are people out there that are able to look after our kids in this community as well as when we’re not around,” she said.

The 50-year-old man has been charged with one count of common assault.

He is due to appear in Southport Magistrates Court on August 12.