A DESTITUTE young mum apparently discovered spending her days alone on the streets of Boscombe with her seven week old baby is said to have received help after her story spread across social media.

Mum-of-three Alix Farenden, founder of charity Ashley's Birthday Bank, says she found the young mum on the streets of Boscombe last week.

Alix, who is in the process of launching a food/clothing parcel service called the Bournemouth Crisis Foundation, posted on her foundation's Facebook page on May 14 that, whilst shopping in Boscombe, she saw "a very young girl huddled in an empty shop doorway sat on newspaper and perched on top of a rolled up sleeping bag."

She added: "Her hair was greasy, her hands were grubby, she appeared to be cuddling a blanket close to her chest, she wasn't begging or making eye contact with anyone.

"I walked over to her, and crouched down, to ask if she would like me to get her some lunch, but before I could utter any words, I was shocked to see she was in fact, holding a tiny baby snuggled to her chest, wrapped in a blanket.

"I asked her if she needed help, she began crying, and so did the tiny baby.

"I told her to come with me, with little money on me I took her into McDonalds for somewhere to sit and eat, I held her tiny baby while she ate and told me her story.

"She explained she had been in an abusive relationship and fled whilst pregnant. Her baby is just seven weeks old. She is living in emergency accommodation, but the owners ask her to leave at 10am everyday and to not return till 6pm.

"I have spoken to the B&B but they are unwilling to go against their policy."

Alix, who resigned from Ashley's Birthday Bank in November, says she bought the young woman "nappies, wipes and baby milk" adding: "She hugged me and cried."

By Monday her post had been shared hundreds of times and she had been inundated with offers help and support.

An update read: "The young mother I came across on Friday, is receiving help as I speak. I can confirm a registered organisation has stepped in and will be addressing her situation with immediate effect. I am unable to divulge any further information due to safeguarding, and I am hopeful I will be able to maintain contact with her to offer her continued support on behalf of us all, as a community."

She also praised the reaction of the local community adding: "So far, I have received over 100 messages to my inbox, offering help, from families wishing to donate baby equipment, and offering their spare rooms to her, local businesses offering somewhere for her to sit during the daytime, to single mums offering friendship and listening ear! We should all be so proud, that in times of crisis, the community spirit in Bournemouth is amazing."

She has since set up a gofundme page to take donations she has been offered in aid of the young woman.

The Daily Echo has contacted Alix via Facebook and asked for the name of the registered company who are helping the mother and baby.

We have told her we won't publish the company's name but want to verify that the information she has posted is correct. She says she won't give us this information because it is confidential.

She has since removed the posts from her Facebook page.

Bournemouth Council told us none of the bed and breakfasts that the council use should require people to be out during the day. A spokesman said: "As such, we do not believe that the family were being accommodated by us.”

A spokesperson for Dorset Police said: "We do not recognise this case. Anyone with information about the mother and baby are asked to contact us on 101."

If you are part of the organisation said to be helping the girl, please email us digital@bournemouthecho.co.uk.