PARENTS and children have been warned to be on their guard after a young boy was approached by a man in a car. 

Police are investigating the incident on North Road in Blackburn after the unknown man in a black car approached the boy before asking him for a lift. 

After following the boy for a few seconds in the car, the child refused and ran away following the incident at around 6pm on Wednesday. 

The driver of the car then drove away from the scene after the boy refused.

Officers have now warned parents to be vigilant and to be aware of stranger danger.

A police spokesperson said: "We received a report at 6pm on Wednesday that a black car had stopped on North Road in Blackburn and asked a boy to get in the vehicle.

"After following the boy for a few seconds in the car, the boy said no and then the driver of the car drove off.

"Whilst this may be a rare occurrence, please make sure your children knows what to do in this situation and report any suspicious incidents online or by calling 101."

Blackburn county councillor Yusuf Jan-Virmani said the incident had 'concerned' him. 

Cllr Jan-Virmani, who is a governor at the nearby St Thomas' Church of England Primary School in Newton Street, said: "We get a lot of young people who attend the school from the North Road area.

"My message to children would be for them not to get in any car with a stranger who they don't know if they have been offered a lift.

"If outside the school, children should only ever get in cars and other vehicles with parents and friends and someone they know.

"At the school we hold regular meetings and workshops with children to educate them about the dangers of stranger danger.

"In this case, the boy did absolutely the right by refusing and running away when offered a lift by the man.

"So my message would be for children and parents to be aware and be vigilant of stranger danger."

The incident comes after a boy was confronted by a man outside Higham Saint John’s Church of England Primary School in Higham Hall Road near Burnley in June, who asked him if we would like some sweets in the back of his small white van. 

Officers said the child refused and said no, before he ran away and reported the matter to police.

Following the incident - parents were warned to be vigilant by police and the school.