Man arrested after attempted child abduction at Wolverhampton’s New Cross Hospital

The 47-year-old man approached the children on two separate occasions but the parents intervened, West Midlands Police said.

The man was arrested on suspicion of attempted abduction and remains in custody on Monday.

West Midlands Police said it was a 'traumatic incident for child and mother' but said the circumstances were 'extremely rare'.

Officers were called to the accident and emergency department at the hospital around 7.30pm on Sunday. The man wasn't known to either child or family.

A West Midlands Police spokesman said: "It is alleged that on two separate occasions, the 47-year-old man approached two children in the A & E department and tried to take them from the hospital. On both occasions, the parents intervened.

"The man was arrested on suspicion of attempted abduction and remains in police custody.

"Incidents like this are extremely rare and we’re working with New Cross Hospital to provide reassurance to visitors and patients."

West Midlands Police's force response team tweeted: "A traumatic incident for child and mother.

"As reassurance, these incidents are very rare and we are not looking for anyone else in connection with the incident."

In a separate incident at the hospital yesterday, police arrested a man who was carrying a BB gun.

Force response shared a picture of the gun to Twitter, adding: "Thanks to courageous and brave security guards, @wmpfirearms and @ResponseWMP no-one was harmed. This is being treated as an isolated incident."

A spokesperson for The Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust said: “The safety of our patients and staff is paramount.

“There were two separate incidents at New Cross Hospital last night which our security teams and the police dealt with swiftly.”