A former journalist claims a supermarket told her they could only put out warning messages to customers who had left dogs in hot cars but not children after she saw two youngsters left alone inside a hot vehicle.

Cambs Times: Opening of Aldii store in ChatterisOpening of Aldii store in Chatteris (Image: Archant)

Author Ellie Seymour said she spotted two youngsters left in a car on a hot day parked next to hers when she went shopping at Aldi at Chatteris.

But when she approached store staff, concerned that on a hot day they had just an inch gap of a window, she was told to carry on shopping and ignore it.

She said: “I spoke to a member of staff and asked if they could put out an announcement or anything, she said no, they would only be able to do that if it was a dog left in the car.

“The boy said he was really hot but couldn’t undo his seat belt to take his coat off. The baby was screaming but the car was locked.

“One window was open about an inch.

“The baby was crying so I waited a bit to see if their parent was nearby. No one came so I asked a lady to stay by the car while I asked for help.

Ellie said she then stood next to the car for 15 minutes chatting to the boy who looked about four years old.

“I’d say the baby was about five or six months old. Their mum appeared and thanked me for watching her children.

She said: “I didn’t give such a polite response. I’m so annoyed that the lady in Aldi refused to help and just told me to carry on with my shopping.”

A spokesman for Aldi said they did not have a tannoy system within the store so would not be able to put out any kind of messages and had no record of the incident.