PARENTS are being warned to be vigilant after three men tried to force a young boy into a van.
A letter has been sent to the parents of all pupils at Hull's Stepney Primary School describing the attempted snatch as "worrying".
The letter reveals the men told the boy to get in the van but he ran away and told school staff, who reported it to the police.
Officers are now carrying out extra patrols around the school in Beverley Road.
The letter sent to parents by school headteacher Paul Browning says: "We would like to draw your attention to a worrying incident, which happened yesterday after leaving school. One of our boys was approached by three men in a white van and told to get in. Luckily, he had the sense to run off and report the incident, which was then reported to police.
"Please make your child aware of the dangers of going with a stranger. If they are ever approached by a stranger outside school, even if they call them by their first name, they must come back in and report the incident to a member of school staff immediately."
The attempted abduction happened on Tuesday, with the letter sent to parents the following day.
The boy was walking home from school with two friends when the white van pulled up close to Park Grove just before 4pm.
Emma Wood, 27, whose ten-year-old son Bradley goes to the school, said: "I can't believe it. I normally let my little boy walk to school because we don't live far away but it's very worrying. It makes you not want to let them play out either."
Louise Cutting, 32, who has two children at the school, said: "It was a shock. I didn't know anything about it until they came home with the letter and that's all we have heard about it.
"All we know is someone tried to take one of the children. It's very concerning, especially because I don't live far away.
"It's horrible."
Officers from the Wyke neighbourhood policing team have been carrying out enquiries in the area and have been liaising with the school.
PCSO Lana Walsham said: "We are carrying out more patrols in the area at the minute. It is part of our default patrol area anyway, so officers are regularly out there, but things have been stepped up.
"This case has been discussed at our briefings so all the officers are aware of it. We do have a very good relationship with the school and we are working very closely with them."
In November last year, a man tried to lure Robert Allen, ten, into his car by offering him sweets.
It happened as he walked home from the park close to Chiltern Primary School in west Hull.
Instead of accepting the man's offer of a lift home in the car, Robert fled and was discovered crying in the Boulevard by a woman who took him to a police station.
Jo Atkinson, deputy headteacher at Stepney Primary School, said: "It is now the subject of a police inquiry and is being investigated. We sent a letter to all parents."
A spokesman for Humberside Police said: "Police are asking people to remain vigilant and enquiries are ongoing."
Anyone with information should call Humberside Police on 101.
