Mum ‘goes shopping while leaving child in car on the hottest day of the year’
Thoughtless mother ticked off by cops for leaving tot in heatwave
THIS is the moment cops confronted a careless mum who had left her child in a sweltering car on the hottest day of the year while she shopped in Next.
The car was parked in a disabled spot at Watersfield Shopping Centre in Watford on Monday afternoon - at the time a record high 30C.
The young child was sat in a car seat while the mother browsed the shops.
Staff noticed the tot and tried to summon the mum on the loud speaker for around 40 minutes before she returned to the car.
Cops arrived and released the child from the white Nissan Qashqai.
A Hertfordshire Police spokesman said: "Police were called at 12.40pm to Watersfield Shopping Centre in Watford to reports of children left in the car.
"Officers attended and the mother was located.
"Strong words of advice were given to the woman."
Temperatures topped 30C in the area yesterday but the heat inside a car is a lot more intense.
Within an hour the interior temperature can reach 60C and pose a real health risk to animals and children.
No further action was taken against the parent although you can be arrested for neglect.
The incident happened on the same day weather forecasters warned Brits that the hottest week of the year was underway.
Huge areas of the country continued to sizzle in temperatures above 30C today.
The highest recorded so far was in the South East – not far from yesterday’s incident in Watford – at 33.2C London Heathrow.
Soaring temperatures prompted St John Ambulance to issue a stark warning to take particular care in the baking heat.Children should be especially careful, the charity said, as it told people to beware of the signs of heatstroke – which can include headaches, dizziness and cramp.
Clive James, training officer for the charity, said: “Extreme heat can be dangerous, particularly for the very young and old.
“But by being prepared you can spot the early warning signs and potentially be the difference between life and death in an emergency.
“Heat exhaustion and heat stroke are the most serious problems that can develop when the mercury soars.
“So it’s essential that people can spot the signs – such as headache and dizziness – and get them somewhere cool and re-hydrated as soon as possible.”
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