A HORRIFIED mother was left shaken after a man "took pictures" of her and her children while they waited at the bus stop.

Having popped out to pick her daughter up from nursery, the mum - who wished to remain anonymous - was snapped while with her nine month and two-year-old children at the stop by Mynchens and Great Knightleys, in Basildon.

The 27-year-old had been warned by a fellow passenger that she had seen footage of the family on the man's phone, which he had just taken.

Both disgusted and frightened, the mother-of-four quickly hopped on the bus and took her children home before calling the police.

She explained: "The whole thing has completely shaken me up, to the point I don't really feel to safe to be out on my own with my kids.

"I was waiting for the bus with my kids in a push chair, the other two were at school, when a woman behind the guy involved started walking towards me.

"The woman stopped me and asked if I knew the man that was standing a bit further up the street, to which I said no.

"As she walked past, she'd seen him taking pictures/videos of me and the kids on his phone.

"I was so shocked, but I knew I couldn't confront him. I didn't know how he'd react and it could've put me and the kids in more danger.

"All that was going through my head was I've got to get them on the bus and get them home."

Determined to warn other families, the mother is now urging anyone with any information to contact the police.

The incident is understood to have taken place on Thursday, between 11.45am and 12pm.

She continued: "I'm actually now having my friends meet me at bus stops for all school runs.

"Its my usual bus stop which I have to use all the time, I even had to get mum to come to the school with me the day it happened. I was literally shaking.

"All I know is he had a bit of paper in his hand and a phone, it looked like he was looking at the paper and doing something on his phone. But I wasn't paying too much attention to what he was doing where I was just making sure we got on the bus safely.

"He was wearing black clothes and had a hat on, I think between his 20s and 30s but maybe slightly older."

Please call Essex Police on 101 and quote 0571 of 14/10.