FOLLOWING the alleged attempted child abduction in St Briavels on 16th January, Gloucestershire and Gwent Police are collaborating to ensure awareness and maximum safety for pupils in the area.

A Gloucestershire Police spokesman said: "Our officers have been stepping up patrols around the school - both covertly and overtly as well as giving advice on 'stranger danger'.

"We also have co-operated and continue to co-operate with Gwent Police over this."

Gwent Police said, "We have liaised with Gloucester Police passing on information about possible sightings that occur in our force area.

"We regularly speak to local children about stranger danger as part of the All Wales schools liaison programme."

Parents of children who routinely wait for buses or walk to school unattended have been warned by their schools to be extra vigilant as there have been a number of cross border sightings of a vehicle near schools similar to the one which was allegedly involved in the original incident.

Police issued a description of the driver as a white male, in his mid-late 40s, with bushy eyebrows, and a goatee beard. His car is described as a very dirty small white van, possibly caked in mud and similar to a Ford Connect in appearance.

Anyone with information should call 101, quoting incident 058 of 16th January.