CHILDREN in York have drawn pictures to illustrate a new police guide that was launched today to warn youngsters about stranger danger.

The book, called No Go Yell Tell, has been written by members of the Micklegate Safer Neighbourhood Team.

It tells the story of two children who put into practice the No Go Yell Tell rule for staying safe when approached by strangers.

Pupils at Knavesmire Primary School helped to illustrate the book by drawing pictures of “safe” and “dangerous” strangers.

PCSO Lee Johnson, who led the project, said: “I did an assembly at the school last term and explained to the children that there were safe strangers, such as police officers, lollipop ladies and paramedics, and dangerous strangers.

“If a man in a car offers them some sweets on the way to school, he must be treated as a dangerous stranger.

“They must say NO to him because they know they have to GO to school.

“They must also YELL as loud as they can and then go and TELL a safe stranger about what happened.”

After lessons, the children were invited into a mobile police station parked outside their school to draw pictures of safe and dangerous strangers.

PCSO Johnson said: “They all piled on to draw their pictures and eat sweets with us and had a whale of a time.

“We had all sorts of pictures for the dangerous strangers – Daleks, monsters and Frankenstein were just a few.

“I think by using this No Go Yell Tell rule, we’ve really got the message through.

“It’s four simple words that the kids can remember and they love shouting it out. Whenever they see me in the street, they’ll come up to me and say ‘hi Lee, No Go Yell Tell’.”

PCSO Johnson will return to Knavesmire Primary School next Friday to hand out the books that the children helped to produce.

He will also give them a goody bag with rulers, pencils, bottles, colouring books and puzzles – all with the No Go Yell Tell logo.

Head teacher, Carol Weston, said: “You can tell children things 100 times, but they won’t remember if it’s presented to them in a boring way.

“No Go Yell Tell is a nice catchy slogan that they all remember and it’s been great that they’ve had so much input into the book.”

If any children would like the chance to win a copy of the book and a goody bag, email PCSO Johnson at lee.johnson@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk with your answers to the following question: ‘Who should you tell if you are approached by someone you don’t know?”

The first five children to give correct answers will be sent a goody bag.

Funding for the project came from the Safer York Partnership, with help from Turpin Associates, in Clifton Moor, who printed the books at a discounted rate.