It is absolutely mind-boggling that an advertisement was placed on an internet site by a mother who claimed she was looking to sell her four-month-old baby boy.

Of course, the website in question took down the ads the same day they were posted and the authorities quickly moved to act. Some might have thought it was a joke from a mum at the end of her tether over Christmas, but social services have indeed placed the child in question under a care order and are giving support to the mother.

It seems that this might have been a very modern cry for help from a woman who just could not cope, and the authorities are to be commended for acting quickly to ensure that the child is safe and the mother receives the necessary assistance.

It is an extremely unusual case merely for the way in which it came to light, and we can only wonder what might have happened had the woman not posted these frankly bizarre ads.

It can only be hoped that there was never any intention to actually sell the child – it does not bear thinking about what might have happened if such a transaction had been allowed to take place.

The internet can be a force for good but it can also be a somewhat chaotic place that is not as well-policed as we would hope. Thankfully there are those who saw this ad and alerted the authorities but the fact that it was allowed to be placed in the first instant is both amazing and horrifying.

All the people involved in this strange case must be given the help they need, and hopefully anyone who feels they cannot cope with life seeks help through the proper channels rather than this haphazard method in the future.