Police were today hunting a man who indecently exposed himself to pupils near their school.

The incident happened as two schoolgirls were walking along a road in Thorpe during their lunchbreak.

The two girls aged under 14 from Tendring Technology College's lower school, in Landermere Road, saw a man in a hedge.

Sgt Alan Rusbridge said the man was standing near a school fence in Argyll Road.

He exposed himself to the girls but said nothing and they walked off.

Police stressed they did not want to alarm parents but said they were linking the incident to reports of a man "acting suspiciously" at nearby Rolph Primary School in the High Street.

At last night's parish council meeting PC Steve Lever said the incident, last Monday, had taken place at the back of a field near Tendring Technology College.

He added that over the past three weeks there had been sightings of someone acting suspiciously at the back of Rolph Primary School as well.

A patrol unit has been in the area at relevant times such as during the school's lunchbreak.

PC Lever appealed for anyone who saw anything suspicious to give the police a call.

Sgt Rusbridge said the incident happened last Monday and added: "We are actively trying to find who this man is."

Michael Watson, school principal, declined to discuss the matter itself. However, he said: "The site is properly patrolled and we take the pupil's welfare and safety very seriously indeed."

Sue Fairbairn, headteacher at Rolph School, said the man who had been spotted twice in a few days had not been on the school's property and had not approached or talked to any pupil.

She said the school's gates were always locked, there were fences around the site and dinner ladies were on patrol.

Anyone with information on the incidents should call 01255 851212, 01255 676790, or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111

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