New appeal as police probe suspicious behaviour towards children in Hampshire

They also want to hear from van drivers who have spoken to children in the Fareham area. It follows a number of reports of incidents in which youngsters were approached.

Detectives are focusing on a report from Tuesday when a nine-year-old girl has said she was approached by two men in Finisterre Close, Hill Head. The girl was not harmed.

Police said the girl was walking between 8.30pm and 9pm wearing pink checked pyjama trousers and a dark-coloured top.

Police believe she would have been seen by others, particularly a woman walking a Dalmatian dog in the area of Seafield Park.

Investigating officer Detective Inspector Gary Hill said: “This woman is not suspected of any crime or wrongdoing. She could be a crucial witness to the circumstances surrounding how and why this nine-year-old girl was approached.”

He said the case was not being treated as an attempted abduction and there was no evidence at this time to confirm a criminal motive.

However, he said they are taking this report seriously as it follows two similar incidents recently of children being approached by people, some of whom were said to be driving white vans.

No children were threatened or harmed and Det Insp Hill said there was no confirmed link between these incidents.

He said they were speaking to people known to drive vans in the area regularly to see if there was an innocent explanation and appealed for anyone who drives a van who has been involved in any conversations, no matter how brief, with children in the Fareham area in the past week to contact police.

Officers have been visiting schools in the area to reassure and advise and police are asking the public to be alert, remind children of the stranger danger message and report information.

Anyone with information is asked to call CID at Fareham Police Station on 101 or leave information anonymously at Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.