A 55-year-old Blackpool school caretaker has been arrested after a live Facebook sting by paedophile hunters. In the recording, which is now circulating on social media, an individual can be seen being challenged by members of a self-proclaimed ‘child protection service’ on Blackpool’s Promenade on Tuesday 23rd April. In the 30-minute live Facebook stream, the video shows him being apprehended at the Wetherspoons Velvet Coaster. In the video the man refuses to answer questions from the Midlands-based group after being accused of grooming a boy online

Parents watching the live stream identified him as the caretaker at Unity Academy.

A police spokesperson said: ‘We were called at 7.40 p.m. on Tuesday (April 23) to the Promenade, Blackpool, to a report of a sexual offence. A 55-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of sexual grooming. He has since been released on conditional bail pending further investigation.’

The Headteacher of Unity Academy, Stephen Cooke, has written to parents and guardians, saying: ‘We are aware of a video that is circulating on social media which features a member of the non-teaching team at the academy.

I can reassure parents that the member of staff is not in school and that all the required actions have been taken by the academy.

The academy takes advice and direction from the relevant authorities in situations such as this and the member of staff will not return to school while these processes take place.

To reassure parents, I can also confirm that all necessary pre-employment checks in line with safeguarding legislation were completed at the point of employment with no concerns raised and that no concerns have been subsequently raised to the academy.

We are not in a position to make any further comment at this stage.’