Parents warned and probe launched after feared attempted abduction of child on way to school

Text messages have been sent out to parents of youngsters at a number of schools in the area to tell them what happened.

The child was said to be on their way to school in Norton Canes when they were approached yesterday morning.

Staffordshire Police spokesperson Sarah Davison said it is not yet clear what the man's intentions were.

She said: "We are investigating a report that a child was approached by a man on their way to school in Norton Canes yesterday.

"The child was not harmed in anyway and it's not clear what the man's intentions were.

"Officers are carrying out thorough inquiries to establish the facts of what happened.

"Our advice to parents is to remain calm and vigilant. Continue to take normal, sensible precautions to keep your children safe.

"If you have any concerns, or information about the incident, please contact your local officers on 101."

One of the schools to send out messages to parents was Gorsemoor Primary School, in Heath Hayes.

Gorsemoor head Paul Bennett said: "We took a call from Norton Canes telling us to ask our parents to be extra vigilant. They said a man tried to abduct a child.

"At around the same time we started to get phone calls from our parents asking about it. It seems people were talking to each other on social network sites almost immediately.

"We then sent out a text message to our parents explaining to them that the police were involved."

One Gorsemoor mother, who did not want to be named, said: "I had a text from the school yesterday morning. When I saw it I felt physically sick. It's a bit scary when you seen something like on your phone.

"When I looked on Facebook, mothers were posting messages warning everyone to be careful."

It comes after a nine-year-old girl was approached on her way to school in Perton, South Staffordshire last month.

Five other incidents have been reported in Wolverhampton.