Toddler found wandering streets

A three-year-old girl was found wandering the streets alone after she was left behind by staff at a pre-school in Hampshire.

Wendy Blake said her daughter, Amber, was mistakenly left in the toilet as other children were taken for a walk.

The youngster was then found crying and alone in the street outside Bitterne Community Pre-School in Southampton.

Southampton City Council said it was a "regrettable incident" and that an investigation had begun.

Ms Blake, 46, of Cunningham Crescent, said: "Anything could have happened to her. She could have got run over. The main road around the pre-school is very busy.

"Anybody could have come along and picked her up."

We will work closely with Bitterne Community Pre-School and support them to try and ensure that it doesn't happen again Southampton City Council

She said Amber would not be attending the remaining weeks of term before the holidays.

The youngster is due to start at an infants school in September.

A spokeswoman for Southampton City Council, which funds the pre-school, said: "It is regrettable that this incident should have occurred.

"We will work closely with Bitterne Community Pre-School and support them to try and ensure that it doesn't happen again."

A spokeswoman for the pre-school said an investigation was being carried out.

She added: "While the investigation is being carried out we have been advised not to make any comment."