A police hunt has been launched for the parents of a toddler who was found wondering the streets barefoot on his own.
Officers said the little boy, thought to be aged between one and two, was found in Torquay, Devon, this afternoon.
Neighbours rang police at 1.30pm to raise the alarm, after spotting the child in the road.
The tot was taken to hospital to be checked over but several hours later his family had still not been found.
One resident who was at the scene when the boy was found claimed that he had ‘limited speech’ and that he wasn’t wearing any shoes or socks.
However, this has not been confirmed by Devon and Cornwall Police.
She wrote on social media: “I was there when the boy was found. He’s probably 18 months old. Walking but very limited speech.
“Didn’t seem at all phased being in a stranger’s house. Seemed clean but no shoes or socks on.
“Parents haven’t been located at all. He’s been taken by police to a&e now as very pale and cold and an emergency placements being sorted for him I think.
“Insane how a child can be missing nearly 3 hours now and no one have noticed. Makes me wonder if something’s happened to the parents?”
The boy has been taken to Torbay Hospital by police, as a precaution.
The child is described as a white boy aged between one and two.
Police have since been conducting house to house enquiries in the Westhill area of Torquay.
A police spokesman added: “Police were called by residents in Main Avenue at 1.30pm and arrived within five minutes.
“The child was found wandering around the street and has been taken into a property by some of the neighbours.
“The little boy is estimated to be between one and two years old and is said to be happy. He has been given a coat by the people who located him.
“We are carrying out house to house enquiries in the area.”
Andrew Young