Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
The mother of two children who were told by strangers to get in their car in Cashmere, Christchurch, says one of her son's is now too scared to leave the house.
Police are making inquiries after two people allegedly tried to get the pair, who were unknown to them, into their car on Bowenvale Avenue at 4pm on Tuesday.
The pair reportedly drove past in a car then turned around and stopped near the children, telling them to get in the car.
Their mother said she had never seen one of her sons so scared.
"I've never seen him in that state. He was just really afraid and really, really scared and he's got this fright in him and he doesn't want to go out the house and he doesn't want to go on to, you know, he doesn't want to even go to school today."
She said when the car door opened, her son grabbed his younger brother and ran to a nearby house.
The mother was proud of how her two youngest children responded to the situation.
"I think they were very brave, and I'm really thankful that they, you know, thought quickly on their feet and yeah, you know they were they were lucky."
She had a message for other parents.
"I think it's just to speak to their kids and you know, just to tell them, you know, that things do happen, but also to remind kids not to be fearful because, you know, we don't want to take away that innocence from kids at the end of the day, they shouldn't even have to think about things like that.
"It's really just to be safe and just to know their surroundings," she said.
The principal of Te Kura o Huriawa Thorrington, Juliana Rae, said the school's thoughts were with the children and family who were frightened by the incident.
"We have reminded our community about having safe travel plans to and from school and talking to children about what to do if approached by strangers.
"We are gathering interest from parents who would like to support a walking school bus."
The car is described as a black hatchback, which was last seen heading towards Centaurus Road and police want to hear from anyone who has any information, by contacting 105.
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