POLICE were alerted after a small child was left alone in a car at a Hampshire shopping centre.

A woman raised the alarm after spotting the youngster in a silver-coloured vehicle parked outside the Sainsbury's store in Lordshill.

Police established that the child was unharmed but referred the matter to social services.

A Sainsbury's customer said: "I was walking across the car park when I saw two women and a man standing around a car.

"They were saying things like 'I can't believe they've left a baby in the car' and 'all the windows have been left up'. I also heard the word 'police'.

"About a minute later a guy came running towards the vehicle. When he got there they all started having a go at him."

A police spokesman said officers received a call from someone concerned for the welfare of a child.

He added: "We were satisfied the child was unharmed and have referred the matter to social services as the appropriate agency."

The spokesman was unable to say how old the child was or whether it was a boy or a girl.