POLICE are investigating an incident in which would-be child abductors chased an 11-year-old boy.

The boy's mum, whose name has been withheld to protect her child’s identity, said her son had seen two men lurking near the playground in Woden Avenue, Stanway, on multiple occasions.

But on Tuesday evening, he came face-to-face with them when they approached him in the Peartree Road Co-op’s car park.

His mother said her son and his friend were kicking a ball about in the rear car park when a car pulled up with two young men inside. They proceeded to talk to him from within the vehicle.

They then invited the 11-year-old to get into the vehicle but he started to move away towards his friend at the car park’s gate leading to Weyland Drive.

At this point the youngsters ran away while the driver got out and chased after them.

It was only when the boys approached a dog walker for help with their pursuer hot on their heels the chase was abandoned, before the Good Samaritan walked them home.

The mum says the incident has left her unable to sleep properly as she can’t escape thoughts about what could have happened had the boys not found help.

She said: “My son has seen both men hanging around near the park before and I feel like he was targeted, as opposed to this being a one-off.

“I don’t know what their aim was but it’s scary. I’m just so proud of him for not freezing in his tracks or else he would’ve been taken from me.

“He is OK and I’m really proud of how he has dealt with it because it doesn’t bear thinking about what could have happened.

“It’s sad to think my son isn’t even safe in his own surroundings as he wasn’t far from his home – I don’t let him wander too far for this exact reason."

“You can tell it’s had a knock-on effect on him but it could have been so much worse.”

An Essex police spokesman said: "We are investigating an incident in Stanway. It was reported two men in car approached a child in Peartree Road.

"The men engaged the child in conversation and it was reported they tried to get him to get into the vehicle. The boy refused, ran away and was taken home by a member of the public."

The car has been described as a silver Volkswagen Golf.

The men are described as white – one had ginger hair and was wearing a Puma jumper while the other is described as having dark hair and a black jumper.

Anyone with information can call 101 and quote crime reference number 42/58963/22 or submit a report online at www.essex.police.uk.