A MUM-of-two from Bear Cross has spoken of her dismay after Bournemouth council confiscated her baby’s pushchair.

Tiffany Smith, 23, returned home after taking her daughter, Izabell, five, to school and left her baby one-year-old son Bobby’s pushchair leant against the wall of the ground floor of the block of council flats where she lives.

She then carried little Bobby up the steps to her top floor flat as she does every day, but when she later returned, the pushchair had gone.

She said: “I thought that someone had stolen it.

“I asked my neighbour whether she had seen anything and she suggested I call the council, although I privately rent my flat.”

She added: “I was told it had been taken as it was left in front of a fire exit, and that I couldn’t get it back until I paid the £25 fee, which is money I don’t have.

“They didn’t leave a letter to say that it had been taken or why, and I thought I would have to put by some money each week until I could afford to pay the fine.

“They are trying to make money out of mums with pushchairs.”

Zoe Friend, 22, also had her pushchair taken by the council. She said: “I was picking up my two-year-old son, Lucas, from my parents’ house, when Tiffany mentioned her pushchair had been taken and I realised mine had too.”

She added: “There was no way I was going to pay the £25 as I don’t even live there.”

Zoe added that Bournemouth Council have suggested that she and Tiffany use a small cupboard on the ground floor, which they would have to buy a lock for.

A spokesman for Bournemouth Council said they have since reviewed the situation and have decided to return the buggies and pushchairs to their owners.

However, they stressed that the rule would continue to be enforced in the future.