AN INFANT sparked a full-scale police search yesterday when the threee-year-old wandered off from his mother in a busy market and hopped on a bus.
Lee Loram became separated from her in the town centre of Blackburn, Lancashire, and somehow managed to board a service from the town to Bolton.
The toddler stayed on the Lancashire United route 225 service – an hour's journey each way – as it tra
velled through Darwen, Egerton and Astley Bridge.
He remained on the bus at Bolton for the return journey and got off at Blackburn bus station where he was quickly spotted by police officers who returned him to his family safe and well.
Lancashire Police issued a missing alert as Lee vanished while out with his mother and brother in the Market Hall at about 12.40pm.
The force helicopter was scrambled, mounted police and extra foot patrols were drafted in and officers scoured CCTV images for several hours with no sign of the boy.
Fears that Lee had been abducted were allayed when he got off the bus at around 4.15pm.
The police spokesman said the family did not wish to comment about the matter.
An employee at the Blackburn-based Lancashire United depot gave a terse "no comment" when asked how it was possible for the youngster to get on the bus without the driver noticing he was alone. The firm's parent company, Transdev, was unavailable for comment.
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