A little girl has been found just outside Brighton railway station at lunchtime today (Friday 24 June).
Sussex Police has asked for help finding the five-year-old’s mother.
The force said: “Police are trying to trace the mum of a little girl found at Brighton train station.
“The girl is being safely looked after by police officers in Brighton but an appeal is being urgently issued to find her mum.
“The girl, who is five years old, arrived with a woman, believed to be her mum, on a train from London around 12.30pm.
“CCTV shows they visited the toilet in the station before walking into the city along Queen’s Road.
“However, members of the public saw the girl sitting on a bench alone at the bus stop near to the Ibis down from the station 12.52pm.”
Detective Inspector Lee Horner said: “We have looked at CCTV and traced the woman and the girl along Queen’s Road to the area of the Ibis, where we lose them.
“The girl then ends up back at the bus stop about 100m south of the station. We don’t know if she returned by herself or whether she lost mum there.
“The woman is black, with dark curly hair and in her mid thirties. She is around 5ft 9in and is wearing a flowery black top and black trousers. She was carrying a red or pink backpack.
“We are appealing to the woman identified to urgently get in touch or did you see this woman at the station or have you seen her in town?
“We are extremely concerned and anxious to find her and check on her welfare.”
Anyone with information is urged to call 999.