A reported abduction attempt earlier this morning in St Albans has been revealed as a bogus incident by police.

Officers were originally called to an address this morning at 9.30am after reports of a “suspicious incident” and a man approaching a teenager between The Ridgeway and Malvern Close at around 8.30pm.

But a police spokeserson said: “After extensive and thorough inquiries by officers in St Albans this incident is no longer being investigated by police.

“Police would like to reassure the public that it has been established this incident did not take place and the boy was not approached by a man.”

This comes just hours after Sandringham School issued an email to parents from Deputy Headteacher Richard Found warning parents of the incident and for children to be vigilant walking to and from school.