A WARNING has been issued after reports that a year five pupil was followed by a man on her way to school.

The girl was walking to Shadsworth Junior School on Tuesday morning when the man reportedly followed her up an alleyway.

The youngster was left shaken up by the incident, according to headteacher Jenny Hetherington.

She said the girl, who is nine or 10 years old, had immediately reported it to staff who informed the police and other schools in the area.

Officers stepped up patrols in the area at picking-up time while other schools issued warnings over social media.

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St Anthony’s RC Primary School in nearby Shadsworth Road told parents to make sure their children were not walking to school on their own yesterday.

Mrs Hetherington said the girl noticed a man kept looking at her.

She crossed the road and entered an alleyway and saw him run across the road and start chasing her down the ginnel.

He stopped as she got closer to the Arran Avenue school.

Mrs Hetherington said: “She did the right thing.

“She came straight to school, told a member of staff and we spoke to her mum and the police and made sure all the local schools were aware.

“We sent text messages to other families asking them to speak about safety to their children and we had many parents in the playground picking their children up at the end of the school day.

“She was brilliant. She came to tell an adult so all the safeguarding was put in place.

“We were proud she put into action everything we have taught them to do if they are in a vulnerable situation.

“Everybody was informed so we could look out for our children on their way home.”

A spokesman for the St Anthony’s posted on its Facebook page: “Please be vigilant walking to school.

“The PCSO team have had reports of a suspicious man on Delph Lane.”

The nearby St Oswald’s Community Hall also put a warning on its Facebook page.

They advised children be picked up from evening clubs as it was the second incident in the last week.

A police spokeswoman said they had reports on Tuesday morning of a man acting suspiciously in Shadsworth Road.

She said: “The local neighbourhood team were asked to patrol the area at finishing time.”