POLICE are today investigating whether a man is touring two Suffolk communities trying to lure children into his car.Detectives have yet to establish whether it was the same person who tried to entice children into his car, in separate incidents at Brantham and Hadleigh.

POLICE are today investigating whether a man is touring two Suffolk communities trying to lure children into his car.

Detectives have yet to establish whether it was the same person who tried to entice children into his car, in separate incidents at Brantham and Hadleigh.

As the Star reported yesterday, an 11-year-old girl was walking down a Brantham street, when a man asked her to get in his car. The girl did not enter the dark-coloured vehicle.

The incident happened just after 4.30pm on Thursday in Palfrey Heights, near the village primary school.

That came just days after a boy was approached in Hadleigh High Street at 9.30pm on October 6. In the Hadleigh incident, the boy described the car as a white Ford.

A police spokeswoman said: "We are considering whether or not these two incidents may be linked. A link cannot be ruled out at the moment."

In Brantham where the latest attempted accosting happened, residents voiced worry about an increasing number of episodes.

Mum-of-two Teresa Harris from Gaston Street in nearby East Bergholt, said: "I will certainly be reminding my children of the dangers of talking to strangers.

"My daughter walks home from school every day, and when you hear of something like this happening it is worrying."

Brooklands resident Christine Milsom , 56, said her children were old enough not to be at risk, but added: "The days of the beat bobby are no more. I would like to see a police presence here, to deter such crime."

At Picnic's Flowers in Birch Drive, mum-to-be shop owner Nicola Box, her sister Beth Edevane and colleague Ellen Canning had heard of other similar incidents at Palfrey Heights in recent weeks.

They said a suspicious-looking scruffy man had also been seen in the area.

Ms Edevane, who also works as a nanny, said: "We'll be keeping an eye out because there have been a few similar incidents around here, that we know of. "Lots of people have been talking about them, and have been worried.

"But I hadn't heard about the latest incident in Palfrey Heights, and I think it's terrible that it's happened again."

Mrs Box said: "Young people should be made aware, so they can be vigilant."

Anyone with information is asked to contact Suffolk police on 01473 613500.