PARENTS have praised the swift actions of school staff who acted quickly to warn them a suspicious man was nearby.

Staff at Bardfield Primary School sent text messages and e-mails to parents telling them a man had tried to open the doors of cars with youngsters inside, outside the school, in Clay Hill Road, Vange.

Within minutes of the man being spotted, headteacher Marilyn Hampton had told other schools to be aware and warn their parents.

Mrs Hampton said: “Two of our parents reported a man attempting to get into their cars and when they asked him what he was doing and told him to stop, he offered to help them by looking after their children or taking their children.

“Obviously, it was a very frightening experience for the parents and their children.

“I immediately made other schools aware, because even if he wasn’t outside our school, he might have turned up at another school.”

She used Parent Mail to send text messages to parents, informing them about the incident within ten minutes of it taking place.

Parent Mail is an electronic system 10 per cent of British schools subscribe to, which allows staff and parents to report pupil absences, school closures and news through text messages and e-mails.

Eight nearby schools were also informed.

Mrs Hampton has been patrolling outside the school at the beginning and end of the school day this week. The man has not reappeared.

She added: “Luckily, we responded very quickly and Parent Mail meant we could contact parents straight away.”

Tracy Griffiths, whose son Ryan, seven, is a pupil at the school, said: “It was amazing we were told so quickly and, as it was the weekend, we wouldn’t have found out until Monday otherwise, so this way we were aware this man was out there over the weekend.

“I think Parent Mail’s fantastic and the school reacted really well to this.”

Essex Police officers have been unable to trace the man. A police spokeswoman said: “The person acted suspiciously around children who were with their parents and, at this stage, we do not believe there was any criminal intent.”

The man was described as white, short and stocky with short hair. He wore black clothes, possibly including a bomber jacket. Anyone who recognises the description can call Essex Police on 101.