Police appeal after distressed child seen getting into van in Pontefract

Officers were called after reports that a boy, aged between seven and nine-years-old, had got into a white van in the car park of Morrisons supermarket, Stuart Road.

He was with a man at the time. The child appeared to be upset about getting into the van. The van then drove off in the direction of Pontefract Bus Station.

DI Steve Greenbank, of Wakefield CID, said: “We have to treat reports like this seriously and I would urge anyone with information that could help, particularly the occupants of the van, to make contact as a matter of urgency so we know that everything is OK.”

Since the call, officers have made extensive enquiries about the incident. There are no reports of missing children and they believe the incient may have merely been a child who was getting into van with a parent or guardian after an argument.

The man was white, aged in his 40s, with mousey brown coloured hair. He was wearing a dark coloured tracksuit top and bottoms.

The child also had mousey brown coloured hair and was wearing dark coloured clothes.

Anyone with any information should call Wakefield CID on 101 or 999 if it is an emergency.