POLICE have written to parents after a man approached a child outside an infant school.

Essex Police wrote to all parents at Hamstel Infants School, in Hamstel Road, after the incident at 8.30am, on Tuesday.

A man pulled up alongside the youngster as he was walking to school a few steps ahead of his mother and tried to talk to him.

The mum reported the incident to the school office when she picked up her lad at the end of the day and staff there urged her to contact police.

Headteacher Lisa Clark said: “We asked the police to write the letter for us.

“As a school, we did an assembly for all children and each class has been spoken to about stranger danger.

“We have underlined all the correct procedures. We gave the junior school the same letter.

“It is great the police are working with us in this and I am grateful for their support.”

Essex Police said it is looking into the incident with the school and moved to reassure parents.

In the letter, PC David Gardiner, Neighbourhood Constable for Southchurch and St Luke’s, said: “Both the police and school will be working together to safeguard the welfare of all children who attend the school.”

A spokesman for Essex Police said the incident was reported shortly after 3.30pm by a worried parent, whose son had been spoken to by the motorist.

The spokesman added: “The boy had been walking with his mother at the time. Officers have asked the school to make parents aware of the incident and will themselves monitor the road in forthcoming days.”

Anyone with information about the incident can call officers on 101 quoting incident number 627 10/09/13.