Kingston and Richmond’s children’s services have warned schools about a man approaching students claiming to be "from the council" and asking them to get in his van.

Update: Kingston Council has since confirmed the people approaching students were in fact council employees

Schools sent an email to parents on Tuesday after the warning from Achieving for Children.

It read: "Three students were stopped in the Old Malden area, on Monday February 23 at around 3.30pm by a man in a white van purporting to be from the council.

"The man asked the students to get into the van and discuss their views on activities available in the local area.

“The students refused. An off-duty police officer approached the boys and asked them what was going on. At that point the white van man drove off.”

The man was described as black, about 5'8" and wearing glasses, a black hat and was unshaven.

He was wearing a lanyard that looked “home-made”, according to the email.

Achieving for Children has reported the incident to police.

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