EVERYBODY forgets things occasionally - but one North Yorkshire couple managed to forget their son.

The family was returning to Harrogate and stopped at a service station for a break.

But when the parents set off again, it was without their son. They drove, blissfully unaware of the empty seat behind them, for half-an-hour.

It was only when they thought that it was unusually quiet in the back that they realised he was missing.

They returned to Rownhams services, on the M27 near Southampton, to find the youngster being looked after by staff. He had got out of the car to play on his skateboard.

Inspector John Anderson, of Hampshire police, said: "The 12-year-old was being looked after by the staff and was reunited with his parents when they returned to the services."