MOTHERCARE staff in Burnley were left holding the baby when there was an unexpected new arrival at the store.

They suddenly found a 12-week-old infant in a pram in the town centre shop - and no sign of any parents!

They wheeled the pram around the premises checking with customers.

And they lived up to the store's name as they cuddled the bouncing baby and alerted the police and town centre security service.

It was a full 20 minutes later when a panic-stricken dad rushed into the shop and asked "Has anybody seen my child?"

A Mothercare spokesperson explained: "It seems both the father and mother had been in the store together. The lady left first and the man thought his wife had taken the baby, so he left. It was some time before they met up in the centre and realised what had happened."

The spokesman said staff coped well with the role of temporary foster parents and the baby was in good hands during the incident, last week.

"It's all part of our service," she added.

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