Mother arrested on suspicion of child neglect after toddler wanders into shop alone

A woman had been arrested on suspicion of child neglect after a toddler wandered alone into a newsagent's shop in Wigan.

Police were called around 4.20pm on Friday (1 December) after the boy, believed to be around two or three years old, walked into C&L Oliver newsagent's in Higher Ince in Wigan, unaccompanied.

Zohaid Arshad, 29, the shop's owner, told the MEN there was no sign of any adults looking after him.

"He was OK. We gave him chocolate and a magazine and made sure he was OK. We looked after him and gave him anything he wanted."

The child also spent around 30 minutes in C&L Oliver newsagents where the shopkeeper said he was asking for 'mumma'.

The matter was reported to local police, however concerns were raised after noone came forward to report a child missing. Police issued an urgent appeal in a bid to locate the boy's parents.

The toddler, who was described as white, with mousey brown hair, was looked after by staff at Wigan police station while police searched for his family.

Police later confirmed the mother had been located by officers and she was later arrested on suspicion of neglecting a child.

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: "We have identified a parent and the boy is safe and doing well. A woman has been arrested on suspicion of neglecting a child. She is currently being interviewed by officers. Enquiries are ongoing to understand how the boy came to be on his own."

The woman is believed to be with the police while her son is being taken into the care of social services.