A young boy was reportedly held at knifepoint as he walked to school.

The 11-year-old was heading to Gravesend Grammar School when he was confronted by the “skinny and scruffy” man.

Having initially asked for the time and directions, he was said to have pulled out the knife and ordered the terrified youngster to put down his bags and go with him.

But the quick-witted Year 7 pupil fled to school and police were alerted. He was said to be shaken but unharmed.

His mum, Charlie Morris, later posted a warning to parents on social media, telling them not to let their children walk to school alone.

She also claimed it was the second incident in a month, with another student being reportedly threatened with a knife on a bus.

Describing herself as “a wreck” over what happened to her son on Tuesday morning, Mrs Morris added: “He’s a bit shaken but not too bad, don’t think it’s really hit him what happened yet. I cannot stop thinking about what could’ve happened if he hadn’t ran away.

“I’d hate to think it might happen to someone else when we could’ve warned them, especially as this is the second incident in a month.”

The boy was walking alone when he was approached at about 8.38am in an alley used by many pupils running alongside Old Gravesendians Rugby Football Club and towards the school in Church Walk.

The man was said to be white, English, in his 30s to 40s and wearing an olive green jacket with blue jeans.

Mrs Morris said her son ran away after the man pulled out a knife and tried to make him go with him.

The school later issued a warning to parents and pupils about being vigilant, while Kent Police have said inquiries are ongoing into a report that a man may have been in possession of a knife in Church Walk, Gravesend.

Officers carried out a search of the area but did not locate the man, who was said to have dark hair and ran off in the direction of Echo Square.

In her initial Facebook warning, Mrs Morris wrote: “Please don’t let your children walk to school alone in the Gravesend area, my 11-year-old son was held at knifepoint by a white, English man in his 30s-40s wearing an olive green jacket and blue jeans, on his way to Gravesend Grammar this morning.

“He tried to make him go with him but luckily my son ran away. A man fitting the same description has threatened a student with a knife on a bus previously.”

Within 24 hours of the posting, it had been shared almost 4,000 times.

“I still feel sick and cannot stop thinking about what could have happened,” added Mrs Morris.

Anyone with information or concerns should call 101 quoting reference 19-186.

For a full interview with Mrs Morris, see this week's Gravesend Messenger.