The men fled into nearby Buxton after the foiled kidnapping, Police said in a press release.

Police said the two armed men, one sporting `dreadlocks', rode on bicycles into the school compound at approximately 10:25 hrs, snatched the 11-year-old student and ran in the direction of the Railway Embankment.

According to the Police, the student put up a struggle, screaming in the process, and managed to escape her kidnappers.

One of the kidnappers was reportedly struck down by a motorcar while they fled but he got up and ran away, Police stated.

The Police, with the assistance of a Guyana Defence Force (GDF) patrol pursued the men who ran into the Bladen Hall Multilateral School compound, using a short cut into Buxton, the release said.

While in the school compound the men opened fire on the Police who took cover and returned fire but unfortunately the kidnappers escaped, the release added.

The schoolgirl was taken home and Police said they seized the bicycles the men used.