FIREFIGHTERS smashed a car window – to rescue a baby girl left inside for 40 minutes.

The baby was left in the vehicle with all the windows up during the hottest day of the year so far, outside a Huddersfield shop.

Firefighters rescued the 12-month-old from the vehicle in Wilkinson’s car park on Alfred Street yesterday.

Police have arrested a 51-year-old man on suspicion of neglect.

Huddersfield Fire Station watch manager Andy Flynn was called to the scene at 10.46am.

He said: “There was a little baby girl who had been in the car for 40 minutes.

“She seemed quite calm but it was quite a hot day and it looked like she was getting hot.

“We had to smash one of the windows to rescue her.”

The car park, behind the Wilkinson’s store in New Street, is used by customers.

It is very busy with drivers coming and going constantly.

The incident came on the hottest day of the year so far, with the temperature in the car likely to have been around 25C.

Salendine Nook weatherman Paul Stevens said: “Sitting in a car is like sitting in a greenhouse.

“The temperature outside peaked at 15.9C, but if you were sat in a car with all the windows up, the temperature could have been as high as 25C.

“That’s the equivalent of the temperature on a hot summer’s day.”

A spokesman for Wilkinson’s said the baby girl had been spotted by a security guard working for a car park management company.

The spokesman added: “This is now a police matter.”

A spokeswoman for the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children told the Examiner yesterday that the charity was unable to comment on individual cases.

However, she provided the following advice on leaving children in cars.

Always keep you child with you, wherever possible.

If you decide it’s safe to leave your child in the car always keep them within your sight and never leave them for more than a couple of minutes.

Never leave a child in the car if you can possibly avoid doing so.

Always keep the car well ventilated.

Always keep children fastened in their car seats.

Never leave the key in the car or the doors unlocked.

Always park safely and legally.

Never expect young children to look after baby brothers and sisters.

Temperatures inside a car can become extreme more quickly than expected, whether it is very cold weather or very hot weather in the summer.