Cat-flap toddler in road drama
A TODDLER was found in the middle of a busy road after slipping from his home through the cat-flap.
The 15-month-old only escaped injury after a cab driver spotted him and slammed on his brakes.
Little Morgan Place was 300 yards from his home when the drama happened. Cabbie Shahid Iqbal said: "I thought I was having a daydream. I was shocked.
"I put the baby on top of my taxi to make sure he was safe and asked around to see if someone knew who he was. I called the police and they came and collected the baby."
Last night, Morgan, from Rawtenstall, was none the worse for his ordeal. His dad Darren, 33, said he ran outside when he realised what happened. He said: "We have not been in the house long and are not used to having a cat-flap."
Morgan's mum, Louise, 36, said: "Thank God he was all right. It was devastating for Darren. It's every parent's nightmare."
The drama began when Louise left for work early in the morning as Darren, Morgan, and the couple's three other children Amy, 15, Emma, 13 and Sam, six, were asleep. Louise said: "Sam got him out of his cot after I'd gone. We don't know how he did it because the sides are always up.
"He carried him downstairs but did not wake anyone up. He knows he's not allowed to do it but he did it."
Louise said Morgan crawled through the cat-flap then managed to open the back gate.
He walked 300 yards to Burnley Road, Crawshawbooth, when he was spotted by the cab driver.
Louise said she thought Morgan was trying to reach a newsagents near their home.
She said: "We often walk there with him. We think he remembered the way.
"He did not have one dirty patch on his clothes and his hands were not grazed. He walked all the way."
Police interviewed both Darren and Louise about the incident. Darren said: "The police told us that he was about to cross the road but when Louise called the taxi rank they said he had already reached the paper shop.
"It was an accident. Nothing more than that.
"The police have said everything is fine. We are not bad parents."
The couple thanked everyone involved in the rescue.
Police said the matter would not be taken any further.
Inspector Dave Hodson said: "It would appear that this young child had escaped from his home address by climbing through the flap and was found by a taxi driver.
"The child's mother was at work at the time and was extremely distraught when she found out.
"Everyone at the house is fit and healthy and they have now changed the house security arrangements."
Manchester Evening News 18th May http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk:80/news/s/1007/1007245_catflap_toddler_in_road_drama.html