THE YOUNGSTER in the film Home Alone had the time of his life without his parents - watching his favourite videos and gorging buckets of ice-cream at the same time as fending off bungling burglars.

But adventure enjoyed by child star Macaulay Culkin is a world away from the trauma suffered by distraught children in Lancashire, left at home alone by parents intent on partying or going to work.

Many children suffer emotional problems and can become aggressive or withdrawn as they battle to deal with the feelings brought on by their abandonment.

Unlike the characters in Hollywood movies, children left at home on their own are in very real danger of serious injury or even death.

Ordinary household items such as a cooker or fire can prove perilous when parents are away and children are left to fend for themselves.

Lancashire police deal with such cases every week and are trying to make parents aware of the dangers.

The TV series Brookside is currently using a hard-hitting storyline on the subject.

Sammy Daniels leaves her young daughter Louise alone while she works in a bar, spends nights with new boyfriend Noel and even goes on holiday with him.

On Friday, Sammy was seen writing a note for her sister Katie telling her she had gone abroad and asking her to look after Louise. But Katie did not see the note and Louise was left alone.

Tonight, neighbours grow concerned for the youngster's safety and contact social services.

Actress Rachael Lindsay, who plays Sammy, acknowledges Sammy is wrong to abandon her own daughter but cites her character's craving for affection in defence.

"Sammy loves Louise but, to be honest, the basic problem in this case is her serious weakness where men are concerned," she said.

"Personally, I wouldn't leave a four-year-old alone in the house for one minute.

"If a man made me choose like this I'd say 'OK, you go.'

"Like most women, I'd say no to him and stay at home but unfortunately Sammy puts men before her child.

"Her top priority at present is to hang on to this new man in her life and she'll do whatever it takes to get him to love her," added Rachael.

"What she did was wrong.

"She's guilty but let's be fair.

"Before they went away last week, she did try to persuade Noel to hang on at the bungalow until Katie came home and this was all done under the mistaken impression that Louise would be left alone for five minutes, not a weekend," said Rachael, anxious to defend her character.

"She's seems to be mixed up and unbalanced.

"It's a shame she lets herself down so badly. She's been living like an irresponsible 16-year-old, going out and getting drunk with lots of men, while she's happy to stay at the bungalow and let Katie look after Louise."

Lancashire Constabulary's Family Protection Unit, based in Clitheroe, tackles the real-life influx of distressed calls from neighbours, family and friends reporting children left to their own devices.

"It's a weekly thing and it could be a babe in arms or kids in their early teens.

"People from all walks of life abandon their babies," said Sergeant Brian Davies, who works at the unit.

He has tackled prostitutes who leave their children when they go to work the streets, heroin addicts who shoplift to exchange goods for drugs while their offspring are at home and shift workers who clock in at work while their youngsters are tucked up in bed. More commonly, parents nip out to the pub and one parent even left a mentally retarded teenager in charge of a house full of kids.

Officers from the unit have found hundreds of distressed children at home alone

"Some have been crying for hours," said Sergeant Davies.

"I've found children as young as two wandering the streets after being left home alone.

"Some parents do it knowing the risks involved.

"Others have been left themselves as youngsters and don't think they are doing anything wrong

But he warned: "Parents will suffer the consequences of putting their kids at risk and the could be fined, imprisoned or have their children taken away."

Jean Burnell, team leader for one of the NSPCC's Child Protection Teams in Lancashire, said home alone cases amounted to neglect. She regarded them as seriously other forms of child abuse because the effects on children could be just as damaging and long-lasting.

She said: "Emotionally it can be very damaging for the children.

"They are left feeling frightened, crying out for mum or dad who isn't there.

"Children feel abandoned.

"They become withdrawn, unhappy or unusually aggressive and their school work and relationships with friends are usually affected.

"In Sammy's case it is just not on.

"It is neglect and she could face prosecution."

She added: "There is no law which sets down an age at which children can be left home alone.

"It depends on how responsible the child is and whether they could cope in an emergency."

In 1992, the NSPCC received reports of 3,000 cases of neglected children - and this is only the tip of the iceberg.

Single father-of-three David Hayes, who is a member of single-parent organisation Gingerbread, said: "I have missed out on nights out and socialising because of the children but I would never consider leaving them.

"I know of families who regularly leave their kids home alone. "Gingerbread helps a lot.

"You can take your children along to events such as camping trips and meals out."

The NSPCC have a free leaflet outlining the issue of home alone children.

Anyone wanting a copy should call the NSPCC National Centre on 0171 825 2500 or at 42 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3NH. Anyone wanting to report children left alone should ring 01282 472783.

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