Ottawa police are warning the public about a suspicious incident involving children at a park in the city's west end.

Just before 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, two girls — seven and 10 years old — were playing in Bellevue Manor Park just off Carlington Park when they were approached by a man who asked them to help him look for a $5 bill.

The man then approached a seven-year-old boy and tried to lure him into a wooded area to look for the money, police said.

That conversation was interrupted by the boy's friends, who called him back to play.

The man left the area when he was approached by another man who witnessed what was going on.

The suspect is described by police as a white, English-speaking man about 20 to 25 years old. He stands at about five feet seven inches tall with a medium build, dirty blonde hair and a goatee. He was wearing a dark shirt with grey on it.

Anyone with information is asked to call the sexual assault/child abuse unit at 613-236-1222 ext. 5944, or Crime Stoppers at 613-233-8477 (TIPS).