A 12-year-old girl's claims that she was abducted by four men in a black taxi are 'bogus', police have confirmed.

The Pedmore Technology College year seven student claimed she had been abducted and driven around for 90 minutes on Thursday afternoon, spreading fear amongst parents and teachers across the Black Country.

West Midlands Police launched an investigation into the claims and detectives spent countless hours trawling CCTV cameras in and around the area in a bid to identify the vehicle and any offenders.

The girl was allegedly dragged into the taxi on Teasdale Way and later dropped off in Clent, where she was reportedly found "shaken but unhurt" by a member of the public. 

Schools across the borough warned pupils to be vigilant as a result. But after monitoring the girl's route, police found no evidence of the alleged attack. Detective Sergeant Matt Slattery said:

"Incidents of child abduction are thankfully rare, but any reports of such are rigorously investigated and any bogus accounts will be quickly uncovered.

"Detectives responded in the way people would expect when faced with a report of a child being abducted. However, as the enquiry progressed, it quickly became clear the incident had not happened in the way it was described to us.

“I know that this allegation caused fear among local residents and although the investigation continues and the girl is being supported, I want to stress that the public were never in any danger."