Children trapped in baking-hot car

‘Help’ message scrawled in screen condensation

SOCIAL services have visited the family home of two children aged 10 and three who scrawled a “help” message to passers–by as they were trapped in a hot car for up to an hour.

The elder brother of the youngsters had parked the Vauxhall Corsa earlier in Yorkshire Street, Rochdale, on Friday, but was held up for longer than the 10 minutes he planned to be away from the car, council chiefs said.

Sources confirmed that witnesses said the children — understood to be a three–year–old boy and 10–year–old girl — were unable to get out of the locked vehicle in stifling conditions and used condensation inside to spell out their appeal.

Their plea was eventually noticed and emergency services were called to the scene in Yorkshire Street at 4.25pm. The children were taken to hospital as a precaution but were unharmed and discharged soon after.

Their 20–year–old brother was arrested on suspicion of child neglect and later released on bail until July 1 pending further enquiries.

A social worker has since visited the family home and declared the children were “happy and healthy”.