A secondary school in Bridgend has alerted families after a black van was seen behaving suspiciously in the local area and briefly followed a parent's car.
Tracey Wellington, head teacher of Coleg Cymunedol Y Dderwen in Tondu, has urged parents and carers to remind their children to stay vigilant when travelling to and from school. She advised pupils to stick to well-lit and busy routes and to report anything suspicious immediately to police and the school.
The school, which educates more than 1,000 pupils aged 11 to 18, shared the warning in a social media post on Thursday, November 12.
Incident reported to authorities
In the post, Ms Wellington said: "Dear Parents and Carers, We would like to make you aware of an incident reported in the local area and to remind everyone of the importance of remaining vigilant when travelling to and from school."
"It has been brought to our attention that a black van was seen behaving suspiciously in the local area and briefly followed a parent's vehicle."
"The matter has been reported to the appropriate authorities, and at this time, there is no cause for alarm. However, we feel it is important to keep our school community informed and aware."
Safety advice for pupils
As a precaution, the head teacher asked parents to speak with their children about staying safe when walking to and from school. The advice included using well-lit and busy routes whenever possible, walking with friends or siblings rather than alone, and avoiding distractions such as mobile phones or headphones when travelling.
Pupils were also encouraged to report anything that makes them feel uncomfortable or concerned to a trusted adult immediately.
"If you notice any suspicious vehicles or behaviour in the area, please report it directly to the police by calling 101, or 999 in an emergency, and inform the school office so that we can monitor any concerns raised within our community," the post added.
The head teacher concluded: "The safety and wellbeing of our pupils remain our highest priority. Thank you for your continued support in helping us keep all members of our school community safe."
South Wales Police was contacted for comment.
