FEARS over a spate of alleged child abduction attempts in Burnley were eased today after police said at least one of the claims was no longer under investigation.

Detectives were looking into claims a gang tried to snatch a six-year-old boy from Laithe Street last Saturday.

But officers now say they are happy no offence occurred.

It is believed the youngster overheard a comment from a group of men in the street and decided to follow them.

But police said they were sure the men had not tried to abduct the boy.

Two other claims of attempted abductions, one in the same street of an eight-year-old girl and another of a ten-year-old girl in Lowerhouse Lane are still being investigated.

Police say they are trying to trace a witness for the claim of attempted abduction of the girl in Laithe Street who may be able to give them further information.

But they said they were struggling to find anyone else who had seen the man described by the ten-year-old in Lowerhouse Lane.

A police spokesman said: "The four men we wanted to speak to in connection with the alleged attempted abduction in Laithe Street have been traced and interviewed.

"We are satisfied that there was no attempted abduction. No offences occurred and our investigation has been concluded.

"We would like to reassure parents that offences like child abduction are rare, although we look into every case and treat each allegation very seriously."