Longridge schoolboy left shaken after encounter with men in black car

The men reportedly tried to lure the 12-year-old into a black 'SUV'-type vehicle after pulling up beside him in Little Lane at around 4.20pm on Thursday, May 6.

The boy told police that the two strangers, both aged in their 50s and wearing black hats, had screeched to a halt next to him, flung the passenger door open and shouted at him to "get over here".

But the boy, sensing something was not right, ran off towards Longridge Recreational Ground where he sought safety among a group of older children.

After returning home to tell his family, the boy's mum shared her son's frightening encounter on a local Facebook group.

Warning others, she said: "A black SUV - he thinks it was a Honda - came screeching to a halt beside him after crossing over to the wrong side of the road to come to a stop right next to him.

"This was at the Kestor Lane end near the little block of flats. Two males aged approximately 50 and wearing black hats tried to get him to come over to their car.

"They opened the passenger door and shouted at him to "get over here".

"But he ran off towards the rec (Longridge Recreation Ground), thank goodness, and they did a u-turn and drove off down Kestor Lane.

"Please warn your kids about these two men as I have a very shaken young lad here. You just don’t think that anything like this will ever happen. So very frightening."

Lancashire Police has confirmed that it is investigating the incident.

A police spokesman said: "We are currently investigating a recent incident involving a child being approached by males in a black people carrier or van in the Little Lane area of Longridge.

"If you have any information regarding this or similar incidents in the Longridge area, please contact the police on 101 to report the matter, quoting log LC-20210506-1051."

The force has also explained why it is only appealing publicly for information more than a week after the incident.

An officer with Longridge Neighbourhood Policing Team said: "The incident was deployed to on the day of the report and we have since been conducting other enquiries before making our appeal public.

"The reason for the delay is those enquiries may have affected the information we could have given on this appeal."

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