A woman has told of her terrifying experience when two females allegedly tried to abduct her niece at a car boot sale.
Louise Stockdale said she was at Redcar racecourse in Thrush Road, Middlesbrough, on Sunday walking with her two-year-old daughter Sadie when the incident occurred.
In a post on Facebook, Louise told of how the pair - one a young woman and the other a child - approached Sadie and grabbed her hand, before attempting to walk away with her.
Cleveland Police last night arrested the two women, one aged 21, and the other a juvenile, The Sun reports.
Louise said the day had been “horrific” and explained she was sharing the post to alert people to the dangers she had been presented with that day.
“Today we are lucky and all get to go home safe. We are still shocked but we are all safe,” she said.
“We went to Redcar boot. There were a few of us and we had split up.
“I was with my youngest niece, two. She was happily walking along when two ladies came in the picture.
“As I followed my niece they slipped back into view and took her hand.
“I saw this immediately as she was my only priority so I told her to let go and removed my niece’s hand from the ladies hand.
“There was no eye contact, nothing, and they disappeared.
“This shook me up but my niece was safe."
After contacting security officers, Louise said she went to find the women.
She said it “soon became apparent” that they were “not alone” and she found herself surrounded by 15 other women who seemed to be in the same group.
Luckily, she said the security at the event was “amazing”, as were the members of the public who were around at the time.
"They didn't escape and an arrest was made,” she said.
Louise said the experience had left the family “shocked” and urged all parents and carers to “keep [their] babies close”.
"This was an opportunist who could have gotten away with it because of how busy it was,” she said.
A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: "Two females, one 21 years and one a juvenile, are in custody following an alleged incident at a car boot sale at Redcar racecourse in Thrush Road.
"A woman reported that her two-year-old child was walking next to a family member when two females approached her and tried to walk away with her.
"When challenged, they reportedly released the child and were detained.
"Enquiries are on-going and police would appeal for any information regarding this alleged incident or regarding the females reported to be involved - especially in the period prior to 2.15pm.
"Please contact Cleveland Police on the 101 number quoting ref 86878 or pass information anonymously to www.crimestoppers-uk.org or phone them on 0800 555 111."S
