School pervert alert

The youngster told his mum he was followed as he left The Vale First and Middle School in Findon Valley.

Headteacher An-thony Lovatt sent letters to parents making them aware of what had happened and said it was a "risk" to let children walk home alone.

He told the Herald: "As ever, we are telling children to be constantly aware. In this instance, a guy was wandering around but, as yet, he hasn't done anything to children and we don't want him to.

"Luckily, this child was alert enough to report it, but things like this just don't go away.

"My letter is just saying things like this can happen and we are reacting to it now. We are telling parents it's a risk to let your children go home by themselves."

Mr Lovatt let children who would have been walking home alone phone their parents or relatives to make alternative arrangements. The incident was reported to police, who said they have stepped up patrols in the area.

Mr Lovatt's letter, dated last Wednesday, said: "We were also warned yesterday of a gentleman in the Horsham area who, claiming he was a journalist, approached a pupil near his school. The gentleman said that he was doing a report on heavy school bags and took a photo of the boy, with no permission slip or proof of ID.

"The boy's school contacted their local newspaper who said they were not running any kind of story like that.

"We will draw children's attention to our concerns in middle school assembly. This letter is to make you aware of the situation and we would ask that if your child walks home they be reminded to be especially vigilant."

Inspector Martin Pattenden stressed the Worthing incident was a rare event: "Police received one report of a man acting suspiciously outside Vale First and Middle School. I would like to remind parents and children to be vigilant and to report any similar incidents.

"I think the headteacher's offer to allow children to telephone their parents is a good idea.

"I must stress, however, that it is very rare to receive such reports and I would not wish the community to become unduly alarmed.

"We are responding by ensuring a greater uniformed presence in the area at school times."

One concerned parent said: "I meet my children at the gate anyway, so they do not walk home on their own, but this sort of thing is really worrying.

"The school has done absolutely the right thing by making parents aware and I am glad the police are taking it seriously.

"It's good that other schools have been warned as well because this man could go anywhere next."

Mr Lovatt also said in his letter: "This morning, one of our parents reported that before Christmas, a man had followed her son while he was walking to the Findon Road shops to wait for his mother to collect him after school.

"The boy told his mother that if he stopped walking, the man stopped, too.

"Last week, the boy saw the same man follow another of our pupils down Vale Drive but said that the man

stopped as soon as he saw the child reach his mother's car and get in.

"The parent of the boy who witnessed these incidents has today contacted the police. The police are taking this report very seriously and are following it up."