Hayley Matthews: Be over-protective of kids when it comes to paedophiles

I went to Towerbank Primary School in the 80s and always remember with great sadness the horrific news about Caroline Hogg. I didn't know her, but the dreadful incident happened a year or two before I started school so we were always warned about the dangers on the beach.

A beach should be a place where kids can have fun

Those memories have stayed with me and, after reading that a four-year-old girl was assaulted last year on Portobello beach, I’m always extra vigilant.

We love the beach as a family but I never feel entirely relaxed knowing that often there are known paedophiles in the area, especially during the good weather when kids are running about starkers.

So, when I noticed someone discretely taking pictures three days on the trot, next to the park and in the same spot every day I decided to call 101.

Call me over-vigilant but this person’s behaviour seemed a little odd. They might have been taking pictures of the same spot of ocean day after day after day.

However, the cautious parent in me thought better to speak up than not.

I hope they were genuinely taking pictures of the beautiful ocean but the pessimist in me believes otherwise.

What would you do if you noticed the same person on several occasions, sitting on their own, in the same place, with the same camera discretely clicking away at the beach?

Would you think it normal? I’d rather look like a foolish over-protective parent to guard our innocent children who just want to have a lark about naked on the beach.