WestQuay has become the latest shopping centre in Southampton to adopt the scheme which helps reunite children who become separated from their parents.

Retailers at The Marlands Centre already support the Safe Child initiative.

Now bosses at WestQuay, which opened two weeks ago, have given their backing to the national scheme.

Special stickers have been placed at child height on windows and checkouts all around the £295 million centre telling youngsters where to go if they get separated from their parents.

The centre's intranet system, which links all shops and management offices by computer, means that children can be re-united with parents as quickly as possible.

Bosses have also donated £500 to scheme founder Pc Chris Parsons to help promote the initiative around the country.

Marketing manager Louise Hamer said: "We have worked very closely with both centre and shop staff to ensure that WestQuay is a designated Safe Child area.

"The Safe Child scheme is such an important programme for shopping centres, and we are delighted to make a donation to Pc Parsons to contribute towards the implementation of the scheme in other areas of the country."

Pc Parsons said: "Launching the Safe Child scheme at WestQuay is singularly the most exciting development in Safe Child over the six years it has been operating.

"It has been a pleasure working alongside the WestQuay team over the last few months."