�The search is on for two men who grabbed a schoolboy and tried to bundle him into a van.

The 13-year-old was walking in Langston Road, Loughton, when two men in a white van grabbed hold of him.

The student at Roding Valley High School, Alderton Hill, Loughton, broke free from the pair after a scuffle and ran off.

Investigators say there have been no sightings of the van or its occupants since the incident.

All the secondary and junior schools in the area have been alerted to what is thought to have been a failed kidnapping bid.

Although the teenager was targeted on a Saturday and not at the school, Roding Valley High headteacher Paul Banks decided to send a letter to every parent whose child goes to the school to let them know about what he described as a “frightening” incident.

He told the Recorder: “To the best of my knowledge, this is a one-off.

“Most parents would think that 2pm was a fairly safe time for their child to be out and about.

“We think it’s really good practice to make parents aware of what happened and help them keep our students safe.

“We encourage our students when they walk to and from school to make sure that they walk with someone.”

Police are looking for both the driver and passenger of the white van after the March 12 incident.

The driver is described as white, aged 30, skinny and with dark short hair.

His passenger was also white and aged about 30.

He was of heavy build with black messy hair and was wearing a dirty white top.

Both men spoke with eastern European accents.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at Loughton on 0300 333 4444, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.