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Patrols stepped up near Wirral primary school after reports boy, eight, followed home by man



Patrols have been stepped up near a Wirral primary school after reports that a young boy was followed home.

The eight-year-old boy was said to have been left terrified as he made his way back from Bidston Village primary yesterday afternoon.

The youngster was walking through an alleyway onto St Oswald’s Avenue on the Beechwood estate at around 4.20pm when he noticed a man wearing a black hooded coat was following him.

His concerned mum said: “We only live 10 minutes away if that from the school.

“He had been at after-school football club and was walking through the alleyway after coming down Bidston Village Road.

“It’s not closed off, there are houses at the end.

“It wasn’t until he was coming out of it that he noticed this man behind him.

“He tried to knock at a friend’s door but they weren’t in.

“He carried on walking and crossed the road twice to try and deter the man but he crossed over as well and carried on following him. He starting walking faster and the man did as well, and in the end he started running. He burst through the front door and the man then turned and went off in the other direction.

“He shouted me as he came through the door, he was crying.

“I sent him into the kitchen and calmed him down and that’s when he said ‘I’ve been followed’.”

The mum called police straight away, with the schoolboy giving a statement to two community support officers who were on patrol nearby.

She said: “The man was in his 20s and all in black.

“He had Nike trainers on and a long black coat with a logo on the arm.”

Merseyside Police confirmed officers received a report of suspicious behaviour in Bidston yesterday afternoon.

A spokesman said: “At about 4.30pm, a woman reported that her eight-year-old son had told her that he had been followed home from school by a man in the St Oswald’s Avenue area.

The man is not believed to have approached him or spoken to him and the boy was unhurt. The man is described as possibly in his 20s and is believed to have been wearing a black coat with a hood and black trousers.

“Patrols have been stepped up in the area to reassure the local community and officers will be continuing to work with schools to offer ‘stranger danger’ advice to pupils.

“People are encouraged to report any suspicious circumstances or incidents to the police so that officers can look into them. Anyone with information which could help officers is urged to call 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.”

Source : Click Me

Isn't it still dark at 4.20pm?

Why was an 8 year old child allowed to walk 10 minutes home on his own anyway?

Not excusing what happened in any way but surely to god, he should have been collected from school by an adult?

That's a cracking description of someone following behind him from an 8 year old in the dark, who was scared. Even got the make of his trainers.

Its called shared information and much better to be aware of it,so parents can be extra vigilant.

i'd be tempted to say it's more like paranoia, remember the white van going round that tried snatching girls on the way home from school

Have to say Dan my grandchildrens school won't allow them to leave

without a grown up.Great idea.

Or scaremongering.

I still wonder how a scared 8 year old child managed to get such an excellent description... in the dark.

eating lots of carrots?

Prove to us all that its just a Hoax,Call it what you like,if it was in my neighborhood,I sooner be aware of it