UNDER SIEGE: THE MOTHER of an 18-month-old boy inside the home of the armed siege revealed how she could have been in the flat when the drama began.

Mother-of-three Dawn Pronick, 25, said her boyfriend Mark Cleere known as Buff had asked her to stay the night but she turned the offer down.

Baby Kyle came out of the flat's ground floor window nine hours into the siege, walking straight into the arms of an armed police officer.

Miss Pronick, who was waiting for news in the Crown pub, said the toddler was unfazed by the drama.

"I went to the flat as I got a phone call from his dad saying I had better come down and get Kyle as there were armed police outside," she said.

"I wasn't sure if he was joking at first.

"When I got there I saw 20 riflemen and knew it was bad. I couldn't believe how much danger he was in.

"When the officer had Kyle in his arms I ran towards him.

"I gave him a huge cuddle, it was a big relief.

"Kyle was absolutely fine afterwards. When I got to him he wasn't crying or anything. I thought he would cry when he left Buff.

"We are hoping he won't remember anything about it."

Speaking about how she could have been in the Cross Street flat with her two daughters Dana, five, and Patience, seven, before the siege started, she said: "I was meant to stay there with my girls but it was late. I am so glad I didn't go.

"My phone has been ringing non-stop. A lot of people were worried I was in there.

"I am a little bit cross the gunman is still alive."

Miss Pronick and Mr Cleere split up four months ago after their three-year relationship dissolved, but the couple have been trying to piece things back together in the last few weeks.

She said: "We are still on and off but we got back together about three weeks ago.

"Kyle has been living with his father at Cross Street."