South Wales Echo photographer Mark Fraser found himself holding the baby - big style - when he went out to cover a routine fire story.

Mark (right) was first to the scene when a children's nursery near his home had to be evacuated following a small blaze.

And rather than see the poor mites - some of them as young as four months - left out in the cold while fire crews doused the flames, the public-spirited snapper invited the tots into his home across the road... all 18 of them, plus their nursery nurses!

Mark, (36), said: "It seemed the least I could do - it was a bitterly cold day. I'm not used to caring for babies, so suddenly having so many of them in my front room was a bit of a shock.

"But we put CBeebies on the telly, and they seemed quite happy. I was just glad to help until their parents arrived to take them home."

Acting editor Sandra Loy, who happens to be Mark's wife, said: "You can imagine my horror when I had a phone call from the picture desk to say: 'Did you know there are 18 toddlers running riot in your living room?'"

Luckily, nobody was seriously hurt in the fire, although Jackie Clews, crèche manager at Toad Hall Nursery and Crèche in Llandaff North, Cardiff, was taken to hospital to be treated for shock and smoke inhalation.

Sandra Bishop, owner and manager of Toad Hall, said: "I am just grateful to Jackie and all the other members of staff who reacted so quickly. The neighbours were a fantastic help."

Back to the photography index

Do you have a story about the regional press? Ring 0116 227 3122/3121, or
e-mail pastill@nep.co.uk