Claims car was following boy

POLICE are probing a report a car followed a young boy and a man tried to coax him inside the vehicle.

Cheshire Constabulary said officers were contacted at 8.45pm last Tuesday regarding “suspicious activity” at 7.40pm on Castlefields Avenue East in Runcorn.

The witness said she had seen a car that “appeared to be following a young boy”.

She spoke to the child and suggested he go home. The car was described as “dark”.

Writing on social media, she said the boy thought the motorist sounded east European and he was “trying to get him to come in his car with him”.

She said: “Needless to say the car sped off – didn’t get any look of him other than it was dark car!” Officers have not yet traced the child.

A Cheshire Police spokesman added there is no evidence the incident is linked to an encounter reported a week earlier in Beechwood in another part of Runcorn when a boy ran home after a man driving a white van stopped and asked “for help”.

He said: “At 8.45pm on Tuesday 10 August police received reports of suspicious activity in the Castlefields area in Runcorn.

“The caller reported that at 7.40pm on 10 August they were driving on Castlefields Avenue East when they saw a dark car which appeared to be following a young boy.

“The woman turned around and spoke to the boy and advised him to go home.

“The dark vehicle was seen driving off in the direction of Astmoor Road.

“There is no indication the incident is linked to the suspicious activity on Cherry Blossom Road and officers have been unable to trace the boy.

“Anyone with any information is asked to call Cheshire Police on 101, or visit www.cheshire. police.uk/tua , quoting IML 1058477.”