Robyn Rosen YET another attempted child abduction has taken place in Crouch End – the third confirmed in two months. In the latest incident, a 10-year-old girl was approached last Wednesday (June 24) at around 5pm at the junction of Stanhope Road and Cl

Robyn Rosen

YET another attempted child abduction has taken place in Crouch End - the third confirmed in two months.

In the latest incident, a 10-year-old girl was approached last Wednesday (June 24) at around 5pm at the junction of Stanhope Road and Claremont Road by a man who asked her to go with him.

The man, described as white, approximately 30 to 35 with blond hair and wearing a dark suit with a red and blue tie, chased the girl down the street before giving up.

The incident, which has left parents fearful of their children's safety, follows one in April when a 12-year-old boy was almost abducted when walking with a group of friends in Priory Road near the TA centre, on Wednesday April 22 at about 3.30pm.

And on Thursday May 14, a 10-year-old Harringay Primary School pupil was walking along Wightman Road at around 8.30am when a man grabbed her wrist before she screamed and ran away.

All schools in the borough have been informed about the incidents via the police and council alert system, School Safe.

A member of staff at Ashmount Primary School, in Ashmount Road, near to where the latest incident took place, said all teachers, parents and pupils had been advised to remain vigilant.

"We have sent a letter to all our parents advising them of the incident and have told them to make sure they know who is picking up their children and what time they finish if they have after school activities," she said.

"The headteacher has spoken to all staff and children and individual teachers have spoken to their classes too so everyone has been made very aware."

Lesley Muir, a mother of two in Stanhope Road, said: "It's really worrying news. You can't rein in your kids the whole time but increasingly, you have to question when you let them go.

"There needs to be a wider forum to alert parents about these incidents because it's very important to know about this."

Sheena Brown, secretary of the CASCH residents association, said: "It's really very shocking and the fact that it is little children makes it particularly worrying. It must be really worrying for parents.

"Awareness has to be increased and signs should go up to say if there has been an incident so children and parents are made more aware."

A police spokeswoman said: "We advise all children, as part of our schools programme, on what to do if approached by a stranger.

"This message appears to be effective in that the reports we have received show our children followed the advice and have done everything they were supposed to - we need to keep encouraging our children and our communities to make sure we tackle the problem of strangers and remain safe.

"We ask that parents remain vigilant but are also mindful that actual child abductions are very rare in Haringey.