PANIC-stricken mum Karen Mather frantically searched the streets after her two-year-old son disappeared from a private nursery.

Toddler Lewis Mather was missing for more than half an hour before being reunited with his mother.

When Karen went to collect him, after just his third day at Small Talk pre-school nursery in Leigh, she was shocked to find he was not there.

"I arrived to pick him up at 11.45am as usual, and became worried when I couldn't see him," she said.

"I asked the staff, who had no idea where he was. I felt sheer panic."

Karen was informed by another parent that a woman had found a lost child down the road from the Scott Street nursery.

After running through the streets, Karen located local resident Angela Atkinson, who was feeding Lewis a yoghurt outside her Scott Street home, a short distance from the nursery, on the edge of Firs Park.

Angela had seen the toddler from her window at about 11am, and rushed to help him.

She said: "I thought it was odd that such a young child was walking down the street on his own.

"As I dashed outside, I saw him step into Wigan Road and shouted to two elderly women to grab him, which they did."

Not recognising the youngster, Angela walked him round the nearby streets, knocking on doors and asking if people knew where he lived.

Having had no luck, she asked a couple to check with the nursery staff whether they were missing any children, and was told they were not.

Angela said: "I knew something was wrong, as a mother wouldn't leave a toddler on their own for what was over half an hour."

When Karen was finally reunited with her son, her worry turned to anger.

Now she wants an explanation from the nursery as to how her son had managed to get out, and why no one had noticed.

Karen said: "The woman in charge at the time came over to apologise when I had found Lewis, but until then, had denied all blame.

"They claimed he hadn't been out for over half an hour, and said that they couldn't possibly keep an eye on all the children. But surely that's their job.

"I'm so grateful to Angela for looking after him. I hate to think what could have happened."

Nursery manager Sheila Galvin said: "I don't think it is right for me to comment further, but I take full responsibility for the incident, and I am very sorry."

The matter was reported to Wigan Social Services, who are investigating.

A spokesman said: "We have received a formal complaint regarding the incident, and the initial investigations have upheld that complaint.

"We treat such incidents very seriously, and it was quite proper that Mrs Mather should draw it to our attention.

"We will be speaking to the centre manager at the nearest possible opportunity, to discuss the appropriate measures to take." 'I asked the staff, who had no idea where he was. I felt sheer panic' RELIEVED: Karen Mather, two-year-old Lewis, and Angela Atkinson, who came to the toddler's

rescue