TWO MEN arrested in Bradford over reports of an attempted kidnapping have been released from police custody.

Police say an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the incident in Knaresborough has been carried out and, at this time, officers do not believe the men were attempting to carry out an offence of this nature.

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said enquiries have proved that the men were in the area and had stopped their van for a legitimate reason. Although the men did speak to the girls involved, it is not believed they intended to cause them alarm or distress.

The girls involved in this incident provided police with vital information which allowed officers to quickly locate the men they wanted to speak to and establish the full circumstances surrounding the incident. The girls acted in the correct manner by leaving a situation which made them feel uncomfortable as quickly as they could, seeking help from an appropriate adult and informing police.

Understandably, the girls were left shaken following the incident which could be the result of recent rumour circulating on social media around sightings of a suspicious van in the North Yorkshire area - although it is imperative that children are taught about keeping safe, speculation can often be unhelpful and cause unnecessary distress.