PARENTS have been alerted after reports of pupils in Billinge and neighbouring areas being approached or followed by strangers.

Letters have been sent out to some parents in St Helens today following three incidents involving pupils at St Peters High School in nearby Orrell, Wigan.

One of the incidents happened on Trent Road, Billinge earlier this month when a pupil was approached by a man driving a black car with two teenage passengers.

St Helens Council has asked parents to stress to their children not to speak to strangers.

The letter read: "The local authority has asked schools to make you aware of reports from Orrell/Billinge.

"St Peters High School have informed their parents of two more stranger danger issues, whereby there have now been in total three incidents in three days regarding students being approached or followed by strangers (one in Standish, one in Orrell and one in Billinge).

"On Friday 11/09 a pupil was walking home from school when a car pulled up alongside her near the Co-op in Orrell.

"The woman inside leaned out of the window and started trying to talk to her (asking if her shoes were hurting because she was walking funnily), there was a man driving the car.

"On Monday 14/09 on Trent Road, Billinge, a pupil was approached by a man with brown eyes, with a black cap on backwards, driving a big black car with two (teenage) passengers.

"Please speak to your children about the need to be careful and not to talk to strangers. Please speak to them about knowing what to do if they are approached by someone.

"They must never get into anyone's car if they don't know them and should always contact the police for help if they feel unsafe.

"If they are feeling unsafe they should raise alarm with other people so they are not isolated on their own."