Boy forgotten in fast food outlet

Staff at the fast food outlet noticed the boy

The Western Health Trust is to investigate how a boy was left behind by social care staff in a food outlet.

The eight-year-old boy was part of a group of six children who were taken to a franchise burger bar at Riverside retail park in Coleraine.

Staff noticed the child and alerted police, who said the boy was taken to a police station and was later collected by a relative.

The Trust said that the incident was being investigated.

Colm Elliott of the NSPCC said people responsible for children need to be more vigilant.

"We all know that children and young people can get distracted and they can wander off," he said.

"What we would recommend is that when children are taken out, you go to somewhere where you can see them at all times.

"When you move off, ensure that you do a head count or a roll call, not only when you're leaving the premises but also when you're outside, because you can do a roll call one minute and two seconds later when you go somewhere else, somebody's left behind," said Mr Elliott.