Urgent stranger danger alert goes out to thousands of pupils across Harborough after two students were stopped by a suspicious man

An urgent stranger danger alert has gone out to thousands of pupils and their families in Market Harborough after two students were stopped on the street by a man driving a blue Land Rover.

The incident, which has been reported to police, happened just after 4pm on Monday afternoon (December 7) as a schoolboy and his friend walked home from Welland Park Academy.

The secondary school, which has about 960 youngsters, has now issued a warning to parents and alerted all of its staff as well as other schools in the town such as Robert Smyth Academy.

Principal Julie McBrearty has acted immediately after the two pupils were stopped by a man thought to be aged in his 30s in a light blue Land Rover on the corner of Simborough Way and Ashley Way, Market Harborough.

The school has now sent out the account of the worrying incident given to them by the parents of the boy who was stopped.

It reads: “My son and his friend were stopped by a large light blue Land Rover by a man around 30-40 wearing a body warmer, shaved hair and a slight beard.

“It happened at 16:04 last night (Monday).

“He has empty dog cages in the back of the car and was asking the time - my son saw into the dashboard and his clock was correct,” said the boy’s family.

“So he had no reason to stop them.

“The man proceeded to ask twice - even though the boys had answered him and kept looking them up and down.

“This happened on the corner of Simborough Way and Ashley Way.”