STUDENTS and their parents have been warned to stay vigilant after a man was seen performing an indecent act near a school.

A mum was driving her daughter to the Gilberd School in Colchester when she saw the man touching himself inappropriately in Brinkley Grove Road.

She said: “At the field, just after the Colchester School of Gymnastics, a man was stood in the field facing the road pleasuring himself.

“My 16-year-old daughter witnessed it, it was so close to lots of schools.”

She said the man was between 30 and 40-years-old, he was wearing dark tracksuit bottoms, a grey hoodie and a black coat with the hood up.

He had stubble on his face and olive skin.

Linda Exley, head teacher at the school, said the school was aware of the incident near High Woods Country Park.

She added: “The matter has been reported to the police. Staff will be on duty as usual at key times of the day. “ Police said they were called to reports of a man acting inappropriately.

Inquiries are ongoing.