Ananova:

A two-year-old boy sparked a police search after he decided to take his aunt's pet dog for a walk at 3am.

Thomas Winspear had gone to bed after a family barbecue when he decided to stretch his legs, reports the Daily Telegraph.

So he took Jack Russell, Conan, and strolled out through the back gate of the home of his babysitting aunt Gemma Keenan as she slept.

A neighbour heading to his allotment spotted the pair walking in the King Oswy area of Hartlepool around 3.15am and called police.

Officers, backed up by the force helicopter, found Thomas 600 yards from Gemma's home after searching for about six hours.

Gemma, 25, who has vowed never to babysit again, realised her nephew was missing only when police knocked at her door holding a picture of him.

She told the Hartlepool Mail: "The police asked if I was missing a little boy and I said he was upstairs in bed.

"But when I went upstairs he wasn't there. My heart skipped a beat. I was hysterical."

He was taken to hospital for a check-up and later reunited with mum Laura Keenan, 23, who said: "I'm just so glad to have him back. I'm still in shock."