Police have urged residents to remain calm after rumours of attempted child abductions in the Wee County – including one which stemmed from a new council initiative that offers youths the chance to play console games in a van.

Some locals have raised concerns about child safety after a number of national news articles claimed an organised crime group was operating across the central belt.

And on Monday, 13 October, police said a man had allegedly tried to lure a 12-year-old boy into his car in nearby Bridge of Allan.

The reports caused a stir on social media, with one Tullibody resident claiming two men were luring children into van on Delph Road by offering them use of a Playstation and an Xbox.

Police received the report on 14 October, but the van turned out to be part of the council’s youth services team, with both occupants carrying identification.

The project — the mobile youth space — is an outreach service which offers youngsters internet access and video games to help keep them off the streets.

Inspector Charlie Mitchell, at Alloa Police Station, has asked residents not to panic over the recent reports in the national media.

He said, “We have received no substantive reports of child snatching in this area. Rest assured, if there was a genuine attempt to take a child away in a van or anything like that then we would know about it fairly quick.

“People can sometimes react to certain types of stories in the national press — they can spread pretty quick and gain a bit of traction.

“But we have not received any reports of this type and we have no evidence that support any fears.” Concerns over child snatching have swelled in the wake of recent national stories across the county.

A worried parent in Renfrewshire told the press she and her children were followed around an Asda near Paisley by a group of men who then fled when challenged by security.

Officers also closed a road in Glasgow following reports of an attempted child abduction; however, police then concluded their investigations saying there was no evidence of a crime.