POLICE have commended the actions of three girls ran away after being approached by a stranger in a black car.

The girls were walking along Eskdale Drive close to St David's Church, Carr Mill at around 5.30pm on Tuesday, January 8 when a black car stopped on the opposite of the road.

The man, who was a passenger in the car, spoke to one of the girls and all three girls then ran away.

Sergeant Luke Penn said: “We take reports of suspicious incidents of this nature seriously and information has been passed on to all local patrols and neighbourhood officers.

“We believe the driver pulled up on the road and the passenger spoke to one of the girls but because she didn’t know him she and the other girls ran away.

“This was exactly the right thing to do. Neighbourhood officers regularly visit schools to work alongside teachers in giving children appropriate stranger danger advice.”