'Children Targeted At Cyprus Hotel'

An investigation has been launched after a British family was targeted by three people who apparently attempted to abduct children from a popular holiday resort in Cyprus.

Tour operator Thomas Cook said they were working closely with authorities after the incident on June 16 at the Anastasia beach complex in Protaras.

The Foreign and Commonwealth Office described it as a concerning incident'' and confirmed they had provided assistance to a British family.

Greg Letford, 28, who was part of a wedding party from Dundee staying at the hotel, told the Daily Record newspaper a couple had led two young children towards a waiting car and another person had a third child up against a wall ready to go, too''.

He told the newspaper: Someone spotted what they were up to and stopped them. If he hadn't been there, those kids would have gone.

When the police turned up, they took the man and woman into an office in the hotel.

The police got them into a van through a window for their protection. One of the hotel staff later told us they were Romanian and that one of them used to work at the hotel.''

It is understood some of those involved had been dressed as hotel staff.

The Daily Record reported that the children involved were under 10 years old.

A Thomas Cook spokeswoman said: The safety and welfare of our customers is always our first priority and upon hearing about the incident we immediately deployed our experienced resort team to the property to provide those customers in residence with individual support.

Customers who did not wish to stay at the property were immediately moved to alternative hotels of a similar or higher standard.

While incidents of this nature are extremely rare, we would like to reassure all customers that this is being taken incredibly seriously and we are continuing to work closely with the local authorities and the hotel as the investigation continues.

Any customers with concerns about future holidays at this hotel are asked to contact us directly so that we can deal with them personally and directly.''

A Foreign and Commonwealth Office spokesman said: Our consular officers provided advice and support to the family involved following this concerning incident. This is now a matter for the local police who are investigating.''

The Anastasia beach complex, on the eastern tip of Cyprus, is described on the Thomas Cook website as being a perfect family choice''.

However, Cypriot police denied there had been an attempted abduction.

A spokesman said a 19-year-old man had been questioned after holidaymakers reported seeing him use his mobile phone to film young children.

Officers checked his phone and found footage of an adult dance band that was performing at the hotel, the force said.

A search of his home found nothing untoward.

Police deputy spokeswoman Nikoletta Tyrimou told the Cyprus Mail: We questioned the suspect, went through his phone and also searched his home.

Nothing we found suggests that he is part of a child-abducting gang or that he was stalking children.

He has since been released while police take statements from all those present at the scene.''

The hotel operator also stressed that there was nothing to suggest an attempted abduction had taken place.

A statement from operators Tsokkos said: According to the police investigation, the claims of child abduction are completely unjustifiable and invalid as nothing was found to suggest that the person involved intended to carry out such an act.

The 19-year-old man involved is not an employee of the hotel and is not a known person to either the management or staff.

The safety and welfare of our guests is always our first priority and upon becoming aware of the incident, we immediately increased the security personnel at the hotel as well as deployed more management members throughout the property to offer all in-house guests assistance and any other support needed.''