A Bay of Plenty mother is warning the community after her 11-year-old son was nearly abducted by a man who was thought to be armed.

Retelling her son's experience, she says a mid-blue, two door 'old hatchback” pulled up with tinted windows, near where he got off a bus at the SH29 end of McLaren Falls Road.

"It's sick. I just want to warn others as just dread the thought of this man being out there targeting our precious kids," says Karen, who has asked for her last name not to be used.

"Our paddocks are right by the junction. All my son has to do is open our fence and cross them to get home. A car slowed down that looked like it had more than one person in and a man got out that my son saw noticeably had a gun poking out of his pocket. My son just legged it across the fields and the man tried to follow - but my son is fast on his feet and got away.

"He thinks someone else was in the car. The guy who got out was about 180cm tall, stocky with a belly, and was likely bald under his black Chicago Bulls cap with a red bull logo on."

The man was also wearing a Black Adidas top with stripes on the shoulders, and looked "in his 30s but wrinkled" as if he smokes a lot, according to her son.

"He had what he thought was a hand gun in his pocket and a black bin bag. My son screamed and legged it down the paddock. We have the police involved and they have been really supportive. My son is really shook up, as we are all."

The mother says there have been "a recent spate" of abductions in Waikato, and is warning others about potential repeat offences.

"I know there are lots of other families out there with children walking a short distance home, either to or from the school bus or school and we mistakenly think they are safe as they are so close to home, it is a hard lesson to learn.

"Please let people know. It is a parent's worst nightmare to lose their child and we were lucky today, God forbid this happens to any other family.”

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a 31-year-old man appeared in court in Hamilton this week charged with attempted abductions of young children in Paeroa and Huntly over recent days and one in Hamilton in February.

Karen says the school principal had been in touch and other schools in the area informed, as well as the bus company.

Police are investigating.

- Additional reporting by Annemarie Quill/Stuff.