Parents are being reassured that police patrols outside schools are not linked to an attempted abduction two weeks ago.

Schools and parents have been on red alert since a nine-year-old schoolgirl was snatched in St James’s Church Yard, Hampton Hill, while she was walking to school with her mother on March 14.

Social media sites reported a second abduction may have taken place at Hampton Infant School or Hampton Junior School yesterday after a man wearing a hoody and balaclava was spotted behaving suspiciously.

Richmond police confirmed no other allegations of abduction have been reported and said police presence outside schools this week was not related.

A police spokesman said: “There is no link to any other investigation.

“All safer neighbourhood teams are patrolling their local schools on the borough in the run up to the Easter break and again this is not related to any incidents or investigations.”

Anyone with any information should contact officers from Richmond on 020 8247 7187 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. In emergency dial 999.