Man arrested after five-day-old baby ‘punched in supermarket’

A man is under arrest after allegedly punching a baby in a supermarket, police said.

Elsie Rose, just five days old, was on her first outing with her parents, Amy Duckers and Lewis Temple, and her sister, Libby, seven, when she was hit at the Tesco store in Baguley, Greater Manchester, on Monday.

The baby, weighing 6lb 12oz, was taken to hospital and monitored overnight but is not believed to have been seriously injured.

Police have arrested a 63-year-old man on suspicion of assault.

Duckers was showing her new daughter off to friends and neighbours in the shop at the time.

It is then alleged that a man came over and punched the baby, leaving a “very big fist mark” on her forehead, according to Duckers.

The “mortified” parents called security. A witness said the man apologised and said he thought the baby was a doll.

Duckers posted details of the experience on Facebook, praising staff at Tesco for the way they handled the situation.

She wrote: “Thank you so much to Baguley Tesco for all you did tonight [Monday] you were all amazing thank you so much for the way you dealt with the situation and treated us all.”

A spokesman for Greater Manchester Police said: “A man has been arrested on suspicion of assaulting a baby.

“Police were called shortly before 6.45pm to a supermarket on Altrincham Road in Baguley, to reports of a child having been hit.

“The baby girl was taken to hospital as a precaution and has since been discharged.

“A 63-year-old was arrested on suspicion of assault and is currently in custody being questioned by officers.”