ALARMED parents have received a letter warning that children are being followed to school in the morning.

The Appleton School, in Crofts Road, Benfleet, wrote to parents on Friday after “a couple of reports” of an adult following children in the Tarports shopping area, where London Road and High Road meet, before school.

Essex Police has been informed, and the school will be doing additional teaching on “stranger danger” stressing to pupils to take care and giving additional advice to them.

But this has done little to appease parental fears, with one stating she would be walking her child to school every day in the wake of the warning being issued.

The mum, whose daughter attends the school, said: “It is hugely concerning and the last thing that any parent wants to hear.

“My daughter walks that way to school so I think I will be accompanying her for the next couple of weeks at least until this blows over a little.

“You do worry. Obviously children don’t arrive at school until they walk through those gates, but there’s that big gap from leaving the house and getting to school.

“A lot of children walk to the school that way, and it is petrifying to think what could happen.

“I am glad the school has informed us, as a parent you need to know these things no matter how worrying.

“I know a lot of parents will be very concerned about this.

“No one blames the school, of course not, but you hope they are doing everything they can and are making sure that children are all aware of the situation, and know what to do in a situation like this.”

Appleton School did not respond to the Echo’s request for comment, but we did obtain a copy of the letter.

The letter detailed that the school received multiple reports of an adult following children before school in the Tarpots area, which consists of a number of shops including an Aldi, Co-op and Tesco Express.

The letter, from headteacher, Karen Kerridge said: “I am writing to make you aware that the school has received a couple of reports of an adult who appears to be following children in the Tarpots area during the morning.

“We have passed this information on to the police.

“We will be reminding pupils about ‘stranger danger’ and how to keep safe, but you may wish to also talk to your child about how they can say safe walking around the local area.

“If you have any concerns please could you report these to the police.”

Call police on 101 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.