HUNDREDS of parents have been put on alert after reports a hooded man attempted to abduct two young children near a school.

Hob Moor Community Primary School, in York, has written to parents and pupils advising them to beware of strangers after learning of the incident from nearby Carr Junior School, in Acomb.

Hob Moor head teacher Angela Charlton said it involved two Year 4 pupils from Carr Junior who were approached by a man.

In the letter she wrote: "Fortunately the children did not go with the man, who was wearing a scarf across his face and a hoodie over his head, and they are safe."

"We must do everything to ensure our children are safe both in and out of school."

Mother Elizabeth Jackson said: "As a parent of a child in the area, it is worrying, and we obviously have to be on our guard and be more watchful."

Parents warned after hooded man tries to grab children

Hundreds of warning letters have been sent to parents in York following reports of an attempted abduction of two young children.

Hob Moor Community Primary School has alerted parents and pupils to be on their guard against strangers after learning of the incident from nearby Carr Junior School, in Acomb.

Head teacher Angela Charlton, who joined Hob Moor earlier this month, said the incident involved two Carr Junior pupils who were approached by a man.

"Fortunately the children did not go with the man, who was wearing a scarf across his face and a hoodie over his head, and they are safe," she wrote in her letter which urged parents to talk to children about their safety.

"The incident shows the world is not a perfect place and as a school we must do everything to ensure our children are safe both in and out of school."

Mother-of-one Elizabeth Jackson, who lives in Acomb and works as a child minder, said: "As a parent of a child in the area it is worrying and we obviously have to be on our guard and be more watchful."

Carol Runciman, executive member responsible for schools at City of York Council, said: "It was in the area, not at the school. It was an alleged attempted abduction.

"It is a police matter but as a precaution, the head teacher of Carr Junior thought she should let other heads know as it was in the area. We are going to remind heads about stranger danger. We don't think there's any cause for alarm. These cases are very rare. It is just a case of reminding the children."

Mark Barnett, at Westfield School, said his staff had also reiterated the "stranger danger" message after receiving an email about the incident.

"It is about constantly reminding children to keep them safe."

The alert came as Hob Moor Community Primary's new head was considering changing the way children accessed the school.

In her letter to parents, Mrs Charlton voiced her growing "concern about the number of adults in the school building at the beginning and end of the school day". She acknowledged this was because of the size of the site, and that many adults had valid reasons for being there.

Hob Moor Primary opened in May 2006, along with Hob Moor Oaks Special School and a Children's Centre and nursery on the same site. Mrs Charlton highlighted the strict safeguards in place to ensure people with access to children were police checked.

"However, our children on the school site are at potential risk from adults entering the school posing as parents or carers," she wrote. "We also had an incident this week when a younger child was knocked over by a group of adults taking a short cut through the school. She was not seriously hurt but was shaken. This situation needs to be addressed to protect all children from danger."

From yesterday, teachers have been asked to dismiss children at the end of school through the outside classroom doors. The cloakroom doors will be kept locked.

Parents with more than one child to collect must walk around the outside of the building to get them from the different classrooms rather than take short cuts through the school.

Joe Cocker, manager of the York Safeguarding Children Board, said: "Incidents involving attempted child abduction are thankfully very rare, but it's important that parents remain vigilant and teach their children how to react to strangers.

"Anyone who has any concerns should contact the police immediately."