Christchurch school pupils targeted in 'frightening incident'

Photo: Te Kura o Huriawa Thorrington
Photo: Te Kura o Huriawa Thorrington
A concerning incident near a Christchurch primary school has prompted a warning for parents in Cashmere.

Te Kura o Huriawa Thorrington principal Juliana Rae emailed parents on Wednesday about "an incident in the Bowenvale Ave area" near the primary school.

In the email, Rae said the incident, which happened about 4pm on Tuesday, has raised safety concerns about children walking home from school.

“At 4pm, a black car with tinted windows approached two children who were walking home," the email said.

“The occupants approached the children and demanded that they get into the car. The children sought help from a neighbour. This was a frightening incident for the children concerned.

“Please ensure you have safe travel plans for your children to and from school and remind them about stranger danger. If your children walk unsupervised, the best time to do this is when the school day ends, between 3.00 and 3.15pm,” Rae said.

“Our School Travel Plan suggests the possibility of walking school buses to support children walking to and from school.

"If you would like to support a walking school bus, the Christchurch City Council is available to help interested parents get underway. Please complete the survey below, and the school will organise a meeting with council staff."

A police spokesperson said they received a report of two people attempting to convince children to get into a car in Cashmere.

"(They) reportedly drove past in a car then turned around and stopped near the children, telling them to get in the car.

"The children ran to a nearby house to seek help."

The car was described as a black hatchback and was last seen heading towards Centaurus Rd.

Police want anyone who has information that might help with their investigation to call 105 and use the file number P060596053.