Mum's tram panic

STRANDED . . . Michaela Hulme

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A PANIC-STRICKEN mum has spoken of her despair after she was left stranded on the platform when a tram set off with her four-year-old daughter on board. ­

Michaela Hulme, of Shaw, suffered every parent's worst nightmare when the doors of the tram at Oldham Central closed, leaving her on the platform with just a buggy ­- and daughter Tabatha, who had already boarded, inside.

Tabatha had jumped on ahead of Michaela who was struggling to load her buggy when the doors suddenly closed.

Michaela frantically pressed the door button and banged on windows, screaming that her child was on board, as the tram pulled away towards Oldham Mumps.

Although in a panicked state, she alerted Metrolink that her child was alone on board via the platform intercom before running down Union Street in pursuit.

But as Mumps came into sight, the tram had already left. As Michaela approached, she saw three strangers had accompanied Tabatha off the tram ­- safe and sound ­- and were waiting for her to appear.

Police also attended the scene after the Metrolink control room had reported it to them.

While grateful for their help, Michaela was furious Tabatha was able to leave the tram with strangers when Metrolink knew about the situation. She was angered further when she rang Metrolink to raise her concerns but felt she had been "given the brush-off."

Michaela, of Lyons Street, Shaw, said: "I wasn't going to speak to anybody but then I thought Metrolink just don't care.

"Tabatha went on in front of me, the doors opened and she got on. It all happened in about 15 seconds and the doors closed with Tabatha on the tram and myself on the platform.

"I tried pressing the buttons and was banging on the windows, I was screaming 'my child, my child' but it pulled away. I then rang the panic button on the platform and the man on the other end asked me to give them a description and all I could say was 'my four-year-old is on the tram'.

"I started running towards Mumps and about half way down saw that there was no tram there. As I got closer there were three strangers and they said 'we have her, she's here'.

"I had spoken to the control room and they knew the situation. It wasn't until I got back to Shaw that I realised the driver had just let her get off with strangers. It is shocking. When I spoke to Metrolink they just said there is an investigation going on, she's safe and that's the main thing.

"Of course it is but the driver shouldn't just let a four-year-old get off with strangers.

"They have kind of brushed it off, the police had been notified by Metrolink but there response was immediate."

A spokesman for Metrolink said: "It is unfortunate that a mother and daughter were separated while boarding a tram at Oldham Central.

"The child boarded the tram just as it was about to depart leaving the mother on the platform.

"We have investigated this matter through a review of CCTV and driver report. Every step was taken to reunite mother and daughter with the correct procedures followed by control room and the driver.

"The mother was reunited with her daughter shortly after they were separated."

Greater Manchester Police confirmed they received reports of the incident on April 6 at 2.22pm and had attended the scene.