PARENTS and schoolchildren are being warned to watch out for strangers loitering around school areas in the district, following an incident on Friday, October 5.

Police were called when a fight broke out between two men in a newsagent in Lattimore Road, St Albans, on Friday afternoon.

A man believed to have been using a hidden video camera to look up schoolgirls' skirts was hit and pinned down by an onlooker, who had seen the man standing near Loreto Girls' School pupils outside.

The man, who carried a holdall containing an upturned camera, entered Lattimore News at about 4pm.

Shopowner Keith Winsor said: "We only allow the girls in two at a time. An older man walked up to the counter, up behind the girls, pretending to look at the cigarettes.

"Then he turned around to walk out of the shop but another man, in his 20's, came in and there was a fight.

"He held the older man down and asked me to call the police."

The younger man had seen the man with the holdall acting suspiciously outside, followed him inside and then detained him until police arrived.

After discovering a running video camera pointing upwards in the man's holdall, officers took the man inside the shop for questioning.

However, the man claimed he hadn't realised the camera was switched on and the video footage was discovered to be of the sky and shop ceiling. He was released with a warning.

Mr Winsor added: "The girls were fine, they didn't realise what was going on."

Described as between 45 and 60 years of age, the man is not local.

A police spokesman said: "This goes back to stranger danger if anyone does see anyone suspicious they should call police straight away."

October 10, 2001 19:49

Clair Weaver