The toddler was one of a group of eight children, who were in a public area of the Sure Start centre at the time. They were being supervised by two members of nursery staff, who dialled 999 as soon as they saw the white powder. Police then sent the bag for testing, which revealed it contained cocaine.
Salford mayor Ian Stewart said staff had acted ‘quickly and professionally’ by removing the package and informing police.
He said: ‘The package was intact and still sealed so thankfully there was no indication that any children had been harmed by the powder. However, we do take situations like this very seriously and we are doing all we can to support the police with their investigation.’
He added that staff had acted ‘quickly and professionally’ by removing the package and informing police.
Julia Johnston, manager at the Oakland Day Nursery, agreed, saying: ‘Safeguarding procedures were, as always, in place. The safety of our children is paramount. Our staff are very vigilant and spotted that the girl was holding the bag straight away.’
The mother of another toddler in the class was horrified. She said: ‘I got a call saying that they had found a bag of cocaine and they had no idea where it came from. It’s disgusting. It’s a nursery. You expect your kid to be safe when they are there and you place your trust in them.’
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