Woman, 51, arrested following 'attempted abduction of baby' near Blackpool seafront

11 May 2025, 15:18

A 51-year-old woman has been arrested after allegedly trying to abduct a baby in Blackpool.

Lancashire Police have confirmed a woman has been arrested after a member of the public reportedly approached a pram on Central Drive, Blackpool, close to the Coral Island amusement arcade at 11.55am on Saturday.

"Members of the public and the baby's parent intervened," police confirmed, with the child "unharmed" in the incident.

The 51-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of child abduction, as well as one count of assault against a police officer.

Police are now urging the public not to speculate on motives surrounding the incident, with a police investigation now underway.

"At 11:55am this morning, it was reported that a woman approached a baby in a pram on Central Drive, near to Coral Island, before attempting to walk away with the pram," the force confirmed.

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​"Following enquiries, a 51-year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of child abduction and police assault," Lancashire Police confirmed in a statement posted to their Facebook page.

Chief Inspector John Jennings-Wharton, of Blackpool Police said: "We know that something like this can be very concerning for the community to hear about.

"We are in the early stages of our investigation and are working to establish the full circumstances.

"We are aware of some social media posts that have been shared online. We’d encourage you not to speculate, and to understand that our enquiries are very much ongoing.

"If you do have information or footage that could assist those enquiries, we ask you report them to us through the appropriate channels."

​Please get in touch with us on 101 quoting log 0563 of 10th May 2025.