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Pupils have been warned to 'go straight home after school today and not to loiter' as reports continue of schoolchildren being stalked by clowns .

Kent Police have issued the caution after a number of "suspicious incidents" in Tonbridge and Tunbridge Wells, in Kent.

Officers will also be going to schools in the area as part of their enquiries to a number of reports in the last couple of weeks which involve people travelling in vans and approaching pupils.

And terrified school children have even been chased on their way home by people wearing clown or Halloween masks deliberately trying to scare them.

Last week the Mirror Online reported on clowns who were targeting pupils at Hillview School for Girls, in Tonbridge, Kent.

Since then, there have been reports of people wearing clown masks being spotted in a van on St John's Road in Tunbridge Wells on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Schools in the town issued their own advice after a boy was approached by two men in a van on Wednesday morning.

Luckily he ran away and told his school what had happened.

Last week head teacher Elaine Buchanan sent an email to parents warning them about the incidents, which happened earlier in the month.

She said some of her students had been approached on separate occasions by two people wearing black outfits and white clown masks.

In the warning she wrote: "Dear parents, It has been brought to our attention that some of our students have been approached in the vicinity on separate occasions (one outside Sainsbury's and another outside Olive's) by two people wearing black outfits with white clown masks. We have reported this to the police with whom we are actively working.

(Image: Geograph)

"Students are already communicating with each other on social media and you may already be aware. Should you have any concerns, please contact the police direct, not the school.

"We are advising students to go straight home after school today and not to loiter about anywhere.

"We have also said that they should let their parents know their whereabouts and that we have informed you of the situation.

"Extra staffing will be outside of school when the students go home and we understand that the police will be active in the area."

Pam Mills, 51, whose 16-year-old daughter attends Hillview School said: "My daughter has a phobia of clowns and literally goes into a panic attack, so we talked about it and she walks part of the way home with someone else who understands her phobia.

"This is a sick prank if it is a joke as they obviously don't understand the extreme reactions clown phobia can result in."

Officers are also looking into a number of incidents involving people dressed as clowns.

A spokesman said: "The incidents started two weeks ago after several reports in Tonbridge. On October 5 in Hectorage Road, pupils reported they were scared by people in clown masks.

"On October 7 and 8 there were also reports of a woman in the High Street wearing a clown mask.

"The following week in Tunbridge Wells, on October 13 and 14 there are reports of people wearing clown masks in a van on St John's Road.

"At the moment it doesn't appear anything sinister has been linked to these reports but we are continuing to investigate and trying to establish if any offences have been committed.

"We are looking into it and putting out extra patrols to make sure people feel safe."

Chief Inspector Dave Pate of Kent Police said: "We are still working to establish whether any offences have been committed. However, I want to assure parents that we take the safety of all children very seriously and have extra officers on patrol around schools. I would also ask parents to make sure they remind children how to keep safe.

"If any child is approached or has any concerns about people behaving suspiciously they should report it immediately to their parents or schoolteachers who can then report it to police."