Baby locked in deserted nursery for two-and-a-half hours after staff blunder

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Ruby Leadbeater had been mistakenly 'signed out' from Rainbows End Nursery in Middleton in Rochdale.

Her grandmother Carol Boylan, who had gone to collect her, assumed her 23-year-old daughter Claire had changed her plans and had picked her up.

In the meantime, the nursery was locked up for the night with Ruby – who only started there a week ago – still asleep inside.

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Relief: Mum Claire with daughter Ruby

It was only when Claire called round to her mother's house 25 minutes later to pick up Ruby, who was one yesterday, that they realised she was missing.

Police were then alerted.

They eventually found a keyholder who reopened the nursery.

Ruby was found asleep in a pram. A member of staff at the £30-a-day nursery has been suspended pending an internal investigation.

Claire, a student of Abingdon Close, Rochdale, described it as 'every parent's worst nightmare.'

She said: "We thought she had been abducted. I was going out of my mind with worry because no one seemed to know where she was. It was all just terrible".

"Nurseries are supposed to be like fortresses these days. For this to happen is quite unbelievable.

"How can you miss a baby in a pram? You could see that she had been crying because there was tear stains down her cheeks."

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Rainbows End Nursery have suspended a member of staff over the incident

It is understood that a member of staff at the nursery mistakenly signed a logbook to say that Ruby had been collected by her mother Claire.

Ruby , who celebrated her first birthday yesterday, was taken to hospital for a precautionary check.

Mum Claire, a student at Rochdale College, said: "We thought she had been abducted.

"I was going out of my mind with worry because no one seemed to know where she was. It was all just terrible.

Ruby's grandmother Carol, of Norman Street, Middleton, said: "They just locked her in there and left her.

"It is disgraceful and who knows what would have happened if she had been left there overnight."

A spokesman for the nursery, which has been established for 11 years, confirmed that a member of staff has been suspended.

A spokesman said: "An internal investigation is underway. We are in correspondence with the relevant agencies. It would be inappropriate to make any further comment."