THE GRIEF stricken grandparents of a Runcorn youngster who was snatched by social services have spoke of their anguish.

Speaking to the World on Friday, the child's devastated grandmother broke down. "I just want her back," she said.

"This house is so empty without her. She had all she ever wanted here.

"I have no faith in social services now and I have told them so. It's cruelty, they wont even tell us how she is.

"It was going to be bad enough them taking her away but for them to do it a day early, it has all been so rushed.

"We just had a phone call to say they were coming with the police, the poor little thing didn't know what was happening."

And her distraught husband said he didn't even get the chance to say goodbye.

"I was on the phone to a solicitor and her auntie was next door when they came round," he said.

"They didn't even wait to let me kiss her goodbye.

"I can't bear to think of what she must be thinking, she wont know what's going on.

"We have been told we won't be able to see her until Christmas. We are all she has ever known.

"They've not judged us on what we can give her. All they wanted to know is if we could look after her long term, but how can any parent say that?"

A spokesperson from Liverpool Social Services insisted that all the family was given the opportunity to say goodbye to the child.

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