Van incidents lead to an alert

Stephy Gillman with son Kieran, who has reported being approached by a man in a van twice as he walked home from school on Whitley Road, right A MUM has told of her fears at discovering her son was twice approached by a man in a van on the way home from school.

Stephy Gillman has contacted police after being told a white van pulled up alongside 10-year-old Kieran as he walked with a pal on Monday and Tuesday this week.

And now Marden Bridge Middle School has issued a text warning to parents.

Stephy said her son and his friend fled to a nearby shop when a man got out and tried to talk to them in Whitley Bay.

Now Stephy says she will not be letting her lad out of her sight.

The 28-year-old said: “It’s scary stuff. I just totally panicked when I heard. My son didn’t seem that bothered and I don’t want to scare him but it just makes me wonder why my son. And why have they picked them out and what do they want? It could have been very different ”

Kieran walks from Marden Bridge Middle School to his home at the other side of Whitley Bay with friends every day.

But on Tuesday Stephy received a call from his friend’s mum who said the boys had called her from a shop on Whitley Road, where they had hidden after being approached by the man in the van.

It was later revealed that this was the second time the boys had seen the van following them on the same street.

“He has followed my son and his

friend along Whitley Road,” Stephy said.

“He’s got out and tried to approach them, although they have done the sensible thing and run into the nearest shop.

“I took my son to school on Wednesday morning and made them aware.”

John Newport, headteacher at Marden Bridge Middle School, said pupils and parents have been informed of the incident.

“We have conducted a whole school assembly this morning on ‘stranger danger,’” he said. “Parents have also received a letter via text-link.”

Last week police were investigating three incidents in which men in a white van were reported to have approached schoolchildren in the Gosforth and Newburn areas of Newcastle.

On one occasion, a girl was said to have had her hand grabbed by a man in a van in Gosforth.

Northumbria Police stepped up patrols in the areas.

However, the force said it is no longer looking for anyone in connection with the Newburn incident and has traced the van involved in Gosforth, although it is believed the incident may have been a misunderstanding.

A spokesperson said: “We are aware of concerns raised by a pupil at Marden Bridge Middle School who said that he had been approached by two men in a white van.

“Officers have been deployed to the area at school leaving time to reassure pupils and their parents.”

Inquiries to identify the van and its occupants are ongoing and anyone with information is asked to contact police on 101, quoting reference 251 26/09/18.