A mother has spoken of the terrifying moment a man tried to grab her eight-year-old son.

He whispered: “I’m going to get you” before running towards the boy with his arms outstretched.

The child, Brendon, a pupil at Regis Manor Primary School, Milton, had just finished school and was running through bushes by a footpath that leads from the site to North Street, when the man appeared.

The Year 3 youngster screamed and ran to his mother, Becca, who was standing just a few feet away.

It happened at about 3.20pm on Thursday.

The 28-year-old, who lives in Kemsley, said: “He was crying and said ‘There’s a man in the bush that tried to grab me’.

“I walked back up the path and came face-to-face with him.

"I said a few swear words and asked ‘Why are you trying to grab my son?’

"He didn’t reply, he just looked at us, looked at the floor and crossed the road over to Court Road.

“I don’t know what his intentions were.

“I rang the police and they arrived within five minutes. I was really crying.”

Later that night a text message was sent out by the school to parents reminding them to be vigilant, to travel in groups and to ring 999 if needed.

Becca said the man bore a striking resemblance to the e-fit issued by police after a girl was approached by a stranger in Sheerstone, Iwade, on April 23.

Regis Manor Primary School was on high alert the day after the incident.

There was a police presence at the school and deputy head teachers Tony Hadfield and Matthew Perry patrolled the North Street and Volante Drive entrances at the start and the end of the day.

Pupils were also given advice in class on how to stay safe over the summer.

Mum Becca is now looking to start a petition to get rid of the trees where the man was hiding.

The man made off down Court Road after she confronted him.

She said: "I spoke to the head teacher and she said time and time again they’ve asked Kent County Council to cut them down because it’s a blind spot for people to wait in the bushes like this man did but they don’t want to do anything about it.

"I think they should be cut back.”

Karen Mirams, head at the Middletune Avenue school, was supportive of the petition.

She said: “It’s something the school and the parents have complained to KCC about on a number of occasions.

“Obviously we will do all we can to ensure the safety of the pupils.

“In all, we have three access points to the school and we will have extra people on those gates between now and the end of term.

“The school and the police are working together on the issue.

"It is important parents ensure they are keeping their children safe, without setting panic in, too.”