THE father of a three-year-old girl allowed to walk home alone from her Keighley nursery says it is a miracle she wasn't kidnapped or killed.

Little Tanjida Amreen turned up on the doorstep just as her dad was about to set off to collect her from the nursery at Holycroft Primary School, having crossed several main roads on her own.

“It is a miracle she wasn’t hurt,” said dad Akbar Ali, 28.

“There are main roads to cross and people drive round here like crazy.

“Tanjida isn’t old enough to know how to cross roads safely.

“She was all happy and smiling, but I just couldn’t believe it. I was completely shocked and upset. What if she had been kidnapped or killed? My children are precious to me and I am very protective of them.”

Supermarket worker Mr Ali, of Victoria Road in Knowle Park, dropped his daughter off at the nursery as normal shortly after midday last Thursday and was due to make the five-minute walk to collect her at 3pm, but was late setting off.

“I’d got delayed looking after my newly-born daughter and didn’t realise exactly what time it was,” he said.

“I had just given my baby daughter to my mum and was about to leave the house when our doorbell rang. This was between 3pm and 3.05pm.

“At first I thought my brother must have come home with Tanjida, but when I opened the door there she was by herself. She’d come home alone.

“This should never have happened and I don’t want this repeated with any other child.”

He visited the school office the following day to demand an explanation.

“They did say ‘sorry’ but it isn’t good enough,” said Mr Ali.

“I can’t understand how Tanjida was able to leave by herself. It’s a lack of supervision and a lack of responsibility.

“I want other people to be aware of this and I won’t let it go until I’m satisfied it can’t happen to anyone else’s child.”

Holycroft Primary headteacher, Geoff Morrison, told the Keighley News the “regrettable” incident is being investigated and that procedures had been strengthened.

He added: “We have apologised to the family and are carrying out a thorough investigation.

“I would like to reassure parents that the safety of children is our top priority.

“We have now strengthened our procedures at the end of the school day to ensure this cannot happen again.”

lWhat do you think? We welcome letters on this or any other subject. E-mail richard.parker@nqyne.co.uk or write to the Keighley News, 80-86 North Street, Keighley BD21 3AG.