Parents and pupils have been warned to be on their guard after a series of incidents involving men approaching young girls near four schools in Strood.

Police are not linking the reports at the present time, with separate investigations still ongoing.

Det Insp Andy Pritchard said: "We are aware of concerns from parents of schoolchildren in Medway around a number of incidents in the area, described as attempted abductions.

"Two of the incidents are not considered to be attempted abductions but a full investigation will be carried out into each.

"We would like to emphasise that the incidents reported to us are not being linked and are all being investigated individually by local officers.

"We would encourage parents to ensure they have appropriate arrangements for their children to get to and from school and we would urge anyone with concerns, or information, to contact the police at the earliest opportunity."

In one incident, a man grabbed a girl by the arms from behind.

The man, who is thought to be aged about 30 and drives a green car, has approached young girls on five occasions over the last few weeks.

He was first seen in early November in Watling Street, close to Chapter School.

It is believed the man shouted at two girls to get into his car, and said that if they didn’t comply with his demands, he would send people round to their home to get them.

The second incident happened just days later, in the same street, when the man approached two other girls and made the same threats. Both sets of girls were able to run away from the man.

He is thought to have been seen again on the same evening in November prowling close to Bligh junior and primary schools, in Bligh Way, Strood.

Several parents reported a man in a green car acting suspiciously outside the school to police.

Then on Monday, December 1, the man was spotted again close to Chapter School.

Pupils reported his odd behaviour to staff and the following day all pupils were warned to be careful.

Then last Thursday afternoon in Pottery Road, close to the Hundred of Hoo School, a man grabbed a girl by the arms from behind.

Luckily, she managed to get free and run off, her description of this man slightly differs from the other descriptions given.

The police and school were immediately notified and staff decided to send a stranger danger alert letter out to all parents.

The description of the man driving the green car, a Ford Mondeo-syle vehicle, is about 30, very short brown hair with glasses and an eyebrow piercing.

He is thought to be driving a Ford Mondeo-style car with a child’s sunshade on the back window.

The man who grabbed their girl in Hoo, is thought to be about the same age, a small beard, about six foot tall and was wearing a black beanie hat, large cream coat and black tracksuit bottoms.