A 48-year-old woman kidnapped a two-year-old girl in Caledonian Road.

When caught by police officers with the girl in her Southwark flat the next morning, she said: “I was going to keep her if she wasn’t claimed.”

Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court heard the girl was unharmed but “dirty”. The woman was remanded in custody.

Meanwhile, 12 young trees that had been “maliciously damaged or destroyed” on the Naish Court Estate would not be replaced – because it kept happening.

A report from Islington’s estates committee read: “We wish to place on record our graveconcern at this wanton damage and, bearing in mind similar acts of vandalism done on other council estates, we do not propose to replace the trees at Naish Court.” In all, 20 saplings had been planted at the estate, off Caledonian Road.