The headteacher of a Rednal secondary school has issued a ‘stranger danger’ reminder to parents and carers following an incident involving a pupil this morning.
Colmers School and Sixth Form Centre head, Barry Doherty, wrote to parents after a boy was approached by a man in a black Audi this morning.
West Midlands Police confirmed they are investigating after the man asked the boy (13) to get into the car in Bristol Road South.
A force spokeswoman said: “He refused to do so, and walked to a place of safety before reporting the incident.
“The boy did the right thing by telling the school and his parents about the incident and has clearly remembered the stranger danger messages given by family and the school.”
Please speak to your children and remind them of Mr Doherty’s advise. Further advice can be found on the NSPCC website.
Please report any info to West Midlands Police on 101 or call 999 in an emergency. Alternatively, contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111 or visit www.crimestoppers-uk.org
Dear Parents and Carers,
At about 8:25am this morning, one of our students successfully dealt with a very unpleasant situation that has since been reported to the police for investigation.
A man (described as white, bald, medium build, stubbled face) approached one of our students in a black Audi. He raised his voice at the student and instructed him to go towards his car.
Wisely and courageously, our student completely ignored this man and reported the incident without any delay whatsoever. He is safely with his parents who will now work with the police in an attempt to make an arrest.
Events such as these serve to remind us all of some basic rules to keep safe at all times:
- Wherever possible, walk in small groups.
- Never, ever, talk to strangers.
- Always ignore strangers who ask questions or tell you to do something.
Sometimes a child’s respect for adults can lead them to ‘do as they are told’. Every child must always remember that a trustworthy adult would never demand to speak to a child they did not know or ask them to approach their car.
When in doubt, always walk away and speak to a trusted adult without delay. Yours sincerely,
Barry Doherty Headteacher