I’m worried my elderly neighbours are grooming my kids

DEAR DEIDRE: AN elderly couple who befriended me and my family have a back garden like Disneyland. Now I think they are grooming my kids.

We are licensees of a pub. I am 38 and my wife is 35. We have a boy of eight and a daughter of six.

This couple seemed friendly and kind and they are regular customers.

They are in their seventies and have no children but they were overly generous with my children, taking them to the play area of our pub garden and buying them chocolates.

They then started turning up with flowers for my wife. We thought they might have been lonely.

We were invited to their house one Monday for dinner, when our restaurant was closed. The kids were excited to go.

Their garden had a huge wooden climbing frame, trampoline and ride-on toys.

The woman seemed to distract me and my wife while the man took my children down to a shed and closed the door.

I made my excuses and went down the garden. When I opened the door, the man was crouching down in front of my daughter, holding her hips.

He wasn’t doing anything illegal but the scene made my stomach lurch. I feel such a fool. I’ve read about people like this, who befriend kids and then abuse them.

How could I be so stupid?

DEIDRE SAYS: Even though you haven’t seen any concrete evidence of abuse, your most important job is to protect your children. 

As you are uncomfortable, it would be better to put some distance between this couple and your family. Trust your instincts.

You could gently talk to your children about the way the man spoke to them to see if your fears have foundation. You can find  support through the NSPCC (nspcc.org.uk, 0808 800 5000).

My support pack Protecting Kids From Abuse will help you to handle this situation.