TWO children climbed more than 25ft up a tower of scaffolding after they were locked out of a house.

However, their efforts were in vain as they failed to find an open window and had to be rescued after a call to firefighters.

The youngsters, aged nine and 12, scrambled on to a balcony in their efforts to get inside the home, which belonged to one of their fathers.

But when a neighbour heard noises, she called the police believing somebody was trying to break into the house, in Greenbank Road, Darlington.

The police, in turn, called County Durham and Darlington Fire and Rescue which eventually managed to contact the father's place of work.

A colleague called with a key and let the boys in through an attic window.

The firefighters were called at about 12.20pm yesterday and the incident was over within half an hour.