Police hunt three men who tried to ‘buy’ child from mother after stopping them on school run

Approach in Sheffield comes after similar incident reported in neighbouring Doncaster

Incident is said to have happened close to Lower Meadows Primary Academy in Sheffield

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Three men who approached a young mother on the school run and offered “a large amount of money” to buy her daughter are being hunted by police.

The horrified woman was walking the child to the Lower Meadows Primary Academy in Sheffield when the incident happened, South Yorkshire Police have said.

The mother, who has not been identified, said she ran off with her daughter to raise the alarm following the approach.

But she said the men fled the scene almost immediately in a dark vehicle.

The report has raised fears in South Yorkshire where only last month another mother reported a group of men offering a “good price” for her daughter after following them into Primark in Doncaster town centre.

Now, speaking about the latest incident, PCSO Kenneth Blake said: “At approximately 8.20am on 1 December, a local resident was walking her daughter to Lower Meadow School along Batemoor Road.

“A male, of possible Middle Eastern origin, along with two other males, have approached the mother, taken out a large amount of money and offered to buy the daughter.

“The mother has refused and ran towards the school with her daughter.

“The mother then heard a screech of car tyres and a black/ blue vehicle has made off towards Dyche Lane, with the three males inside. Unfortunately, no number was got for the vehicle.”

He asked any witnesses to contact South Yorkshire Police or Crimestoppers.