Warning to pupils after teenage girl followed by man as she walked to a Market Harborough secondary school

The warning has been issued to pupils at all of the town’s schools after the Year 10 girl was shadowed by the scruffy middle-aged man as she walked to Welland Park Academy on Tuesday morning (October 27).

The youngster, who is aged 14 or 15, is thought to have been followed by the man, who was wearing a black hoodie, for quite a distance.

The student believes that she heard the man ask her as she approached the 1,000-pupil Welland Park Road school: “Do you want to come with me?”

He did not have a “pronounced accent”, she said.

She reported the incident to staff in the pastoral office as soon as she went into school between about 8.20am and 8.30am on Tuesday.

Julie McBrearty, the school’s principal, told the Harborough Mail: “Our student acted very responsibly and very sensibly.

“She did exactly the right thing by reporting this to our staff as soon as she went into school.

“We don’t want to be alarmist and frighten people but we don’t want to underplay this either.”

She said they have now appealed to all of their students to be extra careful as they walk to and from school.

“We have also shared this report with every other school in Market Harborough.

“They are also urging their students to be aware of this incident and to act accordingly,” said Julie.

“We can also share any intelligence with our fellow schools about any other similar incidents which have happened.

“At the moment it’s a one-off incident as far as we are concerned – but we have told the police about it.

“We are not linking it to any other recent reports.

“We have also obviously shared this information with all of our staff here.

“We always have staff on the gates here both mornings and afternoons helping to watch out for and keep an eye on all of our students.

“Their safety and well being are paramount to us at all times,” said Julie.

The man who followed the Year 10 student is said to be white, aged 40-50 and about 5ft 9ins tall.

He was wearing grey baggy joggers, a black hoodie and a grey and black neck snood.