Tiny terror Solomon Slim had to be rescued by firefighters - after locking his mum and sister out of their home.

The 22-month-old managed to turn the back door key while his mum Rebecca Abrams and four-year-old sister Jessica were in the garden.

To his mum's horror, the front door was locked internally and she had to call firefighters to come in through a third-floor window.

Rebecca, of Kingston Road, Oxford, said: "We were all pottering around in the garden during a little bit of sunshine when Jessica told me Solly had gone back inside and shut the back door. "She opened it, but then it shut again. I tried it and realised that he had turned the key and locked it from inside.

"Our neighbours have a spare key for the front door but, when I tried it, I realised that I had put an internal lock on to stop the children getting out onto the street. "The only way in was through a third-floor window and the only people I could think of with ladders that long were the fire brigade."

Solomon stayed calm during most of the 40-minute rescue.

Ironically, Rebecca, who is an author, is just finishing a book entitled Mother of Two.

She said: "This was a very good example of how you have to keep an eye on children all the time."

Story date: Tuesday 27 April

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