A man who allegedly exposed himself to an 11-year-old boy in a car park may have been the victim of a prank.

A mother went on social media on Saturday to warn other parents to be on their guard, claiming a man had flashed her 11-year-old son in a Truro city centre car park.

However, police have said that upon investigation it was suggested that the exposure may have been done as a joke.

A spokesperson confirmed that officers had gone to the Moorfield Car Park in Calenick Street following a call from a member of the public about an incident of indecent exposure.

Officers had spoken to the people involved and given advice.

The police spokesperson added: "Those involved had claimed the incident to have been intended as a joke and were apologetic for any offence caused."

It is understood that the man's trousers may have been pulled down by another person.

The mother had gone onto Facebook after the alleged incident, which she described as “a load of homeless people in Moorfield Car Park who are exposing themselves”.

She wrote: “[I’ve] just spent ten minutes on [the] phone to the police as some guy thought it right to flash at my 11-year-old son.

“[I] don’t want this happening to anyone else. Hopefully the police will deal with them but just in case.”

A police force incident manger at the time said the police inspector in Truro would be asked to review this area if there were concerns about behaviour in the car park.