A toddler was found wandering the streets of a busy town wearing just her nappy in the early hours of this morning.

The baby had managed to wander more than half-a-mile away from her home before she was spotted by a concerned passer-by.

The 23-month-old girl was spotted by a woman travelling to work in Peterlee, County Durham, shortly before 6am today.

Police have now launched an investigation into how the little girl ended up on Essington Way.

PC Stephanie Reynolds, who took the child to a local police station, said: "The child was cold, distressed, but otherwise unhurt. It is lucky she was found when she was.

"Although the roads were quiet at that time of the morning she could have so easily wandered into trouble."

As police tried to establish where the child had come from, her distraught mother dialled 999 after discovering the baby had wandered out of the house.

It is believed the child, who has not been named, had wandered more than 1000 yards away from her home in Peterlee, County Durham.

Her parents and police were left "completely mystified" as to how the toddler got out of bed, down the stairs and out of the front door alone.