TEACHERS have warned parents to keep their children safe after a girl was reportedly 'chased' by a stranger attempting to drag her into a van.

A Year 7 student is reported to have been approached by a young male on Wednesday afternoon. The man is said to have chased the girl before trying to drag her into a white van.

The incident is understood to have happened in Cheadle Hulme, Stockport, at the junction of the junction of Orrishmere Road and Cheadle Road, opposite the Cheadle College. The girl is a student a Laurus Cheadle Hulme, according to reports.

In warnings to parents and guardians, the 'male' was described as white and wearing a black and yellow coat.

A message sent to parents by Laurus Cheadle Hulme, reported by the Manchester Evening News, said: "We regret to inform you that one of [our] students has been approached by a young adult male on her way home from electives this afternoon.

"Please remind your child not to speak to strangers or to be enticed into a vehicle.

"The incident has been reported to police and we have notified all of the local schools.

"We have advised students who are still in school to travel home in small groups wherever possible."

Several other schools, including Cheadle High School, are believed to have issued warnings, with parents being asked to collect their children from within school grounds. Nearby Oak Tree Primary School has told parents to be 'vigilant' in the wake of the incident.