SUNBURST AND SNOW

A very cold start to the day but glorious sunshine.  Had to go to Grange today so didn't leave until about 11 o'clock due to the drive and road being so icy.  Roads were very slippy until we got onto the main road, then it was fine.  A bit more snow up here in Kents Bank than in Grange but not much.

Thanks to Gladders I managed to get a bit of a sunburst through the tree, together with the snowy scene I think it makes for a quite nice photo, not brilliant but not awful.  I wish the snow looked whiter, but then the sky was extremely blue so it is very much how it was.

I had an eventful morning though because whilst walking along the prom in Grange, I came across a very young boy (about 3 I'm thinking), no gloves or hat and his coat undone.  He seemed a little in distress and all alone.  I told him my name, asked for his but he wouldn't talk to me (sensible of him really) then I tried asking him if he was with his Gran or Mum or someone.  No answer.  I looked around, no-one was frantically looking for a child but I saw two elderly ladies in the distance, I waited for them and asked if he was with them but they said no.  The young lad had walked on a bit but stood looking at me waiting so I looked around again no-one. By now I had asked several people, some had gone to the closest car park to see if anyone was there, some went on ahead to look.  The young boy seemed determined to walk on so I just stayed nearby in case he was meeting someone.  Still nothing.  What to do.  By now we were near Grange Railway station and a couple, one was called Graham who was a Doctor and his wife and he said he was a bit concerned about the boy too because he appeared to be in shock. 

So I made the decision to do something and just took him by the hand (I know probably shouldn't have but I needed him to come with me), I told him that I was going to take him to the railway station where it was warmer and we could get some help.  Thank goodness the Doctor and his wife came with me for support and so I wouldn't be alone with the young boy.  The Doctor's wife reported to the man in the ticket office who went onto the station to make enquiries.  In the meantime the Doctor's wife said we needed to call the police.  Didn't really know what to do so whether to call 111 or 999, but I thought he is so young it's an emergency and I called 999. 

I got through and as I was talking to someone a young girl came running in and picked him up and seemed mightily relieved and gave him a huge hug. He seemed happy to see her too.  She said thank you a few times.  This was whilst I was on the phone to the police, they asked me to put her on the phone.  They spoke to her and she said was Rachel and that she said she was with 2 other children and had to go to see to them, but one of them had been sick, another needed a toilet and this one just decided to go off on his own.  I left them talking to the Northern Railway man.  I think she was either from a nursery or a nanny 'cos the young boy had very dark hair and she was very blonde.

I was left feeling a bit stressed and unsure whether I had done the right thing.  Went further up the prom to clear my head in the very fresh air and whilst doing so,  the police called me back,  I explained everything, apologised for calling 999 but didn't know what else to do.  They assured me I had done the right thing. 

Now I'm worrying that I should have checked the young girl out even though I left her with a railway official, who was questioning her but I did tell the police that.

Phew what a day, still a bit worried that I've done the right thing.  Hindsight is a wonderful thing.

Hope you are all well and had a less eventful day.