A BEWILDERED tourist was quizzed by police after villagers suspected his innocent holiday snaps to be something far more sinister.

The anonymous Austrian, who was staying with relatives in Seer Green, was reported to police last Monday when residents became suspicious of him taking photographs of children.

The incident had sparked off wild rumours in the village about a suspicious man with a silver briefcase and pub regulars in The Jolly Cricketers expressed concern for their children's safety.

Sgt Ray Wilks of Gerrards Cross police said the man from Vienna was just a "mad keen photographer and did not mean to scare the boy".

Sgt Wilks explained that the man's relatives had known the boy involved in the incident.

He added: "He would not have asked to take a photo of the boy if he had not known the family.

"He had his wife in the car."

The scare led Alwyn Summers, headteacher of Seer Green C of E Combined School in School Lane, to send out letters to parents reminding them to urge their children to be aware of "stranger danger".

The incident was dealt with by police over the telephone and did not require any officers to attend the scene.