Two taxi drivers spotted the child walking alone on the streets of Rochford, Essex.

She was pushing a pram which was full of toys at 2.30 am. When drivers asked her where she was going, she told them she was going to meet her grandparents.

A third driver who picked up a 24-year-old woman passenger also reached there, and the woman talked to the little girl to comfort her.

The drivers put the child in the car and waited for the police. Police arrived to pick the child and sent her to a safe place before tracking down her parents.

Officers were satisfied that the child was safe, but referred the incident to social services.

Taxi driver John Busuttil, 52, saw the girl – and said she was confident while walked along the street. She was wearing a brown bear-like onesie which had ears on.

The father-of-three, of Stambridge, Essex, said: ‘I was on my way home after a night’s work and I saw this little girl while I was driving up the road.

‘She was pushing a toy pram and I thought ‘there’s got to be an adult with her’. When I saw there wasn’t, I stopped and went back.

Another AC taxi arrived there, and the woman who was in the taxi came out and starts talking to her. She said to her’ darling, where are you off to?’ and she said ‘to grandma’s’.

‘Then I said where’s mommy and she said ‘she’s at home asleep’. She wasn’t confused or scared at all – she was confident like a normal little girl. 

‘After that, I wasn’t going anywhere. We made her nice and warm and called the police. She kept chatting to us. We’ve all got children, so we just wanted to look after her and make sure she was OK. It’s a natural thing to do.’

One of the drivers from AC Taxis told the Southend Echo: ‘I asked the woman I was driving if she wouldn’t mind speaking to her.

‘As a father myself, I know the girl would have probably felt better speaking to a woman rather than three big men.

‘When the police finally arrived and set off to find her home, we followed behind until she was safe, and then I took my passenger home.’

Stephen Noakes, manager of AC Taxis, added: ‘I am extremely proud of my three drivers John, Syed, and Albie for making sure this little girl got home safe and sound.

‘We would also like to thank the young lady who was in one of our taxis, for her help and would like to offer her a free journey if she contacts me.’

He also said that all the firm’s drivers have recently been on the training on how to identify the signs of vulnerable children, adding: ‘This has made the effort worth it.’

An Essex Police spokesman told MailOnline today: ‘We were called by a taxi driver at around 2.25 am on Saturday, November 30 after he discovered a four-year-old girl walking in Rochford.

‘The man looked after the girl before we arrived and took her to a place of safety. We managed to locate the girl’s parents and we are satisfied that no offenses have been committed.

‘We were also satisfied that the child was safe to be left at home. Our officers have made a social services referral, which is the policy in these kinds of incidents.

‘We would like to extend our thanks to the taxi driver for his quick and kind actions.’

 

 

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