A five-year-old boy who took a missing toddler to safety after spotting him alone in the street has been commended by police.

Diego Grabowski was playing on his scooter near his home in Cottingley, Leeds, when he noticed the two-year-old boy wandering about on his own.

His mother had been distracted looking after her baby and the boy had managed to unwind a bike lock on the garden gate and squeeze out.

She soon realised the boy was missing and immediately called police, while his dad began a frantic search.

Diego Grabowski and Supt Derek Hughes
Diego Grabowski and Supt Derek Hughes

Meanwhile, a short distance away, Diego had realised the boy should not have been out alone and led him to the nearest adult, which was a man working in a garden nearby.

They then came across the boy's father out looking for him and he was reunited.

PC Mark Rodgers, a response officer based at Morley Police Station, went to the call and saw how Diego's actions had helped to keep the younger boy safe and brought the incident to a successful conclusion.

He put him forward for official recognition which saw Diego given the VIP treatment at Leeds District Headquarters in Elland Road, where he was presented with a certificate and given a tour of the station.

Superintendent Derek Hughes, who made the presentation, said: "It's truly heartwarming that someone as young as Diego was able to recognise the risks to the missing boy and take him to safety.

"It showed great presence of mind and he is a credit to his family and fully deserves to be praised for his actions.

Diego Grabowski
Diego Grabowski

"It is very unusual for someone as young as Diego to play such a vital role in bringing an emergency situation like this to a successful conclusion, and he is probably the youngest person we have ever commended.

"We hope his visit to us was enjoyable and was a suitable reward for his quick thinking and public-spirited behaviour. We also hope he will enjoy telling his schoolmates all about it and encouraging them to be good citizens too."