POLICE have attempted to reassure the public following a spate of reports by children of motorists acting suspiciously.

North Yorkshire Police are investigating nine incidents made this week in Richmond, Northallerton, Thirsk, York and Selby.

Detectives said the allegations, including one of a 12- year-old girl being approached in Brompton, near Northallerton, were being investigated to establish if further action was needed.

Numerous claims of further incidents have been posted on social networking sites, but have not been passed to police.

The reports come six weeks after rumours spread across the internet of a predatory paedophile trawling North- East and North Yorkshire streets.

Inspector Nigel Slater, from the Hambleton safer neighbourhood team, last night reassured the public that all reports of children being approached by strangers, either on foot or in vehicles, were treated seriously and investigated.

He said: “The number of these types of reports which turn out to be of genuine concern are incredibly rare.

“However, we would always encourage people who are worried about any incident to report it to the police immediately, with as many details as possible to assist inquiries.”

Police are visiting schools near where reports have been received to educate pupils about “stranger danger”, said Insp Slater, who added that young people are best-advised to stay in well lit areas and in groups if possible.

He also urged web users to be cautious about messages placed on social networking sites.

“While they may be well intentioned, they can be inaccurate and based on rumour, rather than fact,” he said.

In September, police in Richmond, Catterick Garrison and Colburn, in North Yorkshire, as well as Darlington and Seaham, County Durham, received several reports of children being approached by motorists.

Rumours also circulated online.

In Darlington, more than 900 people joined a Facebook group in less than two hours following reports of a middleaged man attempting to lure children into his car.

The page urged parents to band together to “get the sick t**t brought down”.

The site prompted warnings by police against vigilante action.

Police have urged anyone approached by someone acting suspiciously to call 999 immediately.

E-fit hunt for "come here" suspect

DETECTIVES last night released an e-fit of a man who approached a girl claiming his van had broken down.

The man twice told the 12- year-old girl to “come here” before she ran off.

The incident happened in Lead Lane, Brompton, near Northallerton, North Yorkshire, at about 8.15am on Tuesday.

The girl ran towards the crossroads on Northallerton Road. The man’s van passed the girl a short time later.

The man, who spoke with a local accent, was white, in his late 20s or early 30s, about 5ft 10in and slim, with a thin face and heavy stubble.

He wore a black baseball cap, black hooded top with the hood over the cap, a high visibility vest, black trousers and black work shoes. The van was an unmarked white Ford Transit.

Detective Inspector Andrea Kell, from Northallerton CID, said the girl had been left shaken and upset.

He added: “I need to trace this man as a matter of urgency.

"It may be he spoke to the girl for an entirely innocent purpose and, if this is the case, I need to understand his reason for approaching her.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Constable Gary Smith-Owen on 0845-60-60-24-7, quoting 12110193762, or Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111.