A school has sent out a letter following a police warning after pupils reported a man followed them home.

Louise McGowan, head teacher at Walderslade School for Girls, Chatham sent the alert to pupils and parents on Friday after she was informed by the local police that there may be a suspicious male in the area.

The letter said that a report had been sent out of a man dressed in a full black suit, black shoes and with his face covered up to his eyes.

It said that two pupils had reported that they were followed on their way home by this person.

It said: "The police are looking into the matter and investigating if there is a link to previous incidents that have taken place in the Lordswood area that have been reported to the media."

Mrs McGowan said: "If I receive any information from the police I think it's my duty to act on that, not to cause panic and hysteria, but to make sure everyone in my school community is extra vigilant.

"I do not wish to cause panic or hysteria but I urge all members of our community to take extra precautions..." - head teacher Louise McGowan

"It gets dark so early now and a lot of our girls live locally so walk to school and I just want to make sure they're walking in pairs of in groups and parents have the opportunity to make alternative arrangements.

"I do not wish to cause panic or hysteria but I urge all members of our community to take extra precautions when out and about at weekends and travelling to and from school. It's better to be safe and take precautions."

She said there has been a number of rumours recently but this warning had come directly from the police.

In the letter she said she would keep pupils informed if there are any further concerns sent through by the police and in the meantime would urge caution to all students to not walk alone either to or from school and to keep to main routes as far as possible.

A police spokesman said they had received two separate reports of a suspicious male by pupils at neighbouring Greenacre School on November 24.

The police are also making inquiries after reports a girl was approached by a man in Princes Avenue, Chatham at 7am today.