POLICE are investigating after an incident which saw a man offer a schoolboy a lift in Sandford.

The incident happened at around 8.10am on Tuesday, May 7, as the 11-year-old youngster was walking along Sandford Road, at the junction with Miles Avenue.

A Dorset Police spokesperson said he was spoken to by a man who was described as standing in the undergrowth.

“It is reported that he asked the boy if he wanted a lift to school,” they said.

“The boy did not respond and ran off and met his friends who were at a nearby bus stop.

“A schoolgirl at the bus stop stated she had also seen the man who had been staring at her when she had walked past, but he did not make any attempts to speak to her.”

The man is described as being in his late 40s or early 50s, between 5ft 10inches and 6ft tall, with short strawberry blond/grey hair that looked like dyed hair, with facial wrinkles, and stood very upright.

He wore a short matte black waterproof jacket, black trousers, sunglasses and was carrying a paper bag.

The incident was reported to Dorset Police on Wednesday 8 May 2024.

Officers are carrying out enquiries into the incident, including a review of CCTV footage in the area. The local neighborhood policing team has also been made aware and officers are liaising with the children and their families.

Enquiries are ongoing to identify the man involved and establish the full circumstances of the incident.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Dorset Police at www.dorset.police.uk or by calling 101, quoting occurrence number 55240068234.