RETURNED HOME: Hero taxi driver identifies three children separated from mother disembarking train
Updated: Aug 20, 2023
Police officers in Telford thanked a good samaritan taxi driver, who helped three young children get home safely after they became separated from their mother when exiting a train.
The family arrived at Telford Central train station on Thursday evening, where the children exited the train, but the doors closed before their mother could get off.
The train left, leaving the mother with no option but to get off at the next stop at Wellington Railway Station, where a member of the public saw her in distress and came to her aid.
After explaining what had happened to the man he then drove her back to Telford Central, but the three children, aged two, five and nine, were nowhere to be seen.
He quickly phoned the police, who then reviewed CCTV footage and saw the children getting into a taxi not long after the train had departed.
Officers were deployed to the town centre to search for the children and taxi driver, and two PCSOs were sent to the family’s address in Madeley.
When the two PCSOs arrived at the address they found the three children safe and well with a neighbour. They told the officers that the taxi driver had seen them in distress and offered to take them home.
Their mother was then informed and taken back home where she was reunited with her children.
Inspector Richard Jones said: “This was a highly distressing case for the family involved, and I can’t thank the public and our officers enough for their quick thinking and response to ensure they were reunited swiftly and safely.
“I want to pay special thanks to the taxi driver, who dropped everything to put the children’s safety first and helped them get home. Thanks must also go to the man who helped their mother get back to Telford Central and stayed with her whilst we checked CCTV and carried out searches of the area.
“What initially came in to us as very worrying incident had a very happy ending, which is thanks to the quick thinking members of the public who did everything they could to help this family in need.”
