A MOTHER was horrified to spot her toddler talking to a stranger in the street after leaving her "safely" at a playgroup.

Parents Stephen and Lorna Fowler, of Margate Road, Broomfield, near Maidstone, have complained to Ofsted about an incident involving Broomfield Ducklings Pre School Playgroup.

Their 29-month-old daughter Abbi managed to slip away unnoticed from a session with the playgroup opposite their home.

She crossed Margate Road alone. Mrs Fowler looked out of her window and noticed a "small girl" talking to an elderly woman outside their home. She was horrified when she realised the child was Abbi.

"She ran outside and asked the woman 'what are you doing with my daughter?'" said Mr Fowler.

"The woman told her Abbi had been back and forth across the Margate Road on her own and she had been worried about her."

Mr Fowler said when they went to the playgroup they were told that no one had realised Abbi was missing.

He said: "Presumably no one would have known about it until the midday roll call. The children go outside into the car park to play and get air.

“There is a 25ft gap between there and the church grounds, there is normally someone sitting there but if their attention is distracted even for a short time, a child could easily slip away.

"I don't believe this is a safe environment for children to play."

Mr Fowler said Ofsted said they would investigate the incident. They were treating it extremely seriously.

He added: "Anyone could have got hold of Abbi. We were very shocked. It was only the fourth time she had been to the playgroup.

"They were in a position of trust, in loco parentis. We will certainly not be sending Abbi back.”

Broomfield Ducklings Pre School Playgroup was set up 35 years ago and has provision for up to 36 children. Supervisor Wendy Lowe reported Abbi's escape to Ofsted and says it was regrettable.

She said: "It was an unfortunate incident where the member of staff got distracted. The problem is it is not our building - we are in a church hall so we cannot do the necessary work on the site. We have managed to rig up some trellising to make sure this does not happen again.

"We informed all the parents by letter and have received much support. It was a regrettable incident and we're all very sorry about what happened."

A spokesperson for the Office for Standards in Education confirmed they had been informed of the incident.

"Ofsted takes very seriously all complaints and concerns about the safety and wellbeing of children whilst registered in day care."