Boy, four, found wandering on dual carriageway with his two-year-old sister

This is the moment a 'Good Samaritan' rescued a four-year-old boy and his two-year-old sister as they wandered out of their home in Birmingham on to one of the city’s busiest dual carriageways.

The two youngsters can be seen trying to cross the A38 Tyburn Road in Erdington while their parents were asleep in bed.

However, driver Linda Young spotted the children and stopped her car leading them to safety while two other drivers were forced to take evasive action.

This grainy CCTV images show the two youngsters being rescued by a 'Good Samaritan' after trying to cross the A38 Tyburn Road in Erdington while their parents were asleep in bed

When police called at the house they had been staying at with their parents they found the property littered with empty aerosol cans, used by their solvent-sniffing father.

In the children’s bedroom there was half eaten food and raw meat left on a bed, along with a bottle of liquid paracetamol. 

The 28-year-old father and 24-year-old mother, who had been in a relationship for seven years and cannot be named for legal reasons, admitted two charges of child cruelty each at Birmingham Crown Court.

The 'Good Samaritan' is pictured trying to rescue one of the children from the busy dual carriageway

The father was sentenced to 18 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months. The mother was given an 18 month community order.

Madhu Rai, prosecuting, said the youngsters had been staying at the house of their father’s mother when they wandered out into the road at 8.45am on March 27.

Ms Young spotted the youngsters as she drove out of the city.

One of the children is seen wandering off towards on-coming traffic before being led to safety

The boy had bare feet while his sister was dressed in an all-in-one pink suit which was dirty.

The boy told police where his mother was, but when officers tried to contact her they received no response and took the children to Erdington police station.

The parents let officers into the house later. When officers searched the room they had slept in they found a half-buttered piece of bread and a knife with butter on it on the bed.

'When the bed sheets were pulled back, there was a bottle of liquid paracetamol. There was also a bag containing raw meat on one of the pillows,' said Ms Rai.

'In the living room, they found carrier bags with empty butane gas canisters and loose cans.'

When police called at the house the children had been staying at with their parents they found the property littered with empty aerosol cans, used by their solvent-sniffing father

Miss Rai said the stairs in the property were steep yet there was no stair gate and the front door was not locked.

Joseph Keating, for the father, said he was remorseful and was making significant attempts to address his addictions.

Sophie Murray, for the mother, said she deeply loved her children and suffered from low esteem and self confidence.

Judge Elizabeth Fisher said: 'By the grace of God a member of the public stopped her own car.

In the children's bedroom police found half eaten food and raw meat left on a bed, along with bottle of liquid paracetamol

'Certainly CCTV footage in the area shows exactly the risk in which the children were placed. When the police first came to the address, you were both still asleep.'

The judge said, though, that she accepted the children were not staying at their usual address and their mother was a 'vulnerable young lady' who had been in a 'somewhat abusive' relationship.

Today, the children's grandmother defended her son and his partner's parenting claiming they were 'good parents'.

She said: 'My son and his girlfriend thought I was in the flat with the kids.

'But I had gone out the night before to a party. My son thought I was coming back and he hadn't locked the door from the inside. 

In the living room police found carrier bags with empty butane gas canisters and loose cans

'But I had a couple of drinks and stayed out as I was not able to drive. The kids only stay at my house about once a month, and when they do they always sleep with me because I have a Queen-sized bed. 

'My son and his partner would have assumed they'd get up with me in the morning, so they could have a bit of a lie-in.'

The grandmother revealed the children were now under the care of social services.

'My son's agreed that he won't see the children until after he's completed a drug programme he's on,' she said.

Empty aerosol cans are littered across the living room. The children are now in care and their father insists he is trying to get a grip on his addiction

'He started sniffing aerosols when he was about 13 or 14 but I didn't find out until he was 17. He's had mental health problems ever since as a result.'

The grandmother said her son freely admitted that he was at fault.

But she added: 'He's a good dad. They're both good parents. The children always go to school and nursery on time and are never off except when they're ill.

'My son takes them to the park. He loves them.'

The grandma added the children's parents wanted to sincerely thank Ms Young who rescued the youngsters.

RIGHTMINDS

ROSS CLARK: 'Before anyone tries to say drug users are just exercising their right to take whatever risks they like with their health, they might like to consider the thousands of children of junkies killed or injured by their parents each year, either as a result of violence or because they ended up swallowing the drugs themselves. Croydon Hospital alone revealed recently it has admitted 56 children with acute intoxication as a result of illegal drug ingestion in the past five years. None of this seems to register with the celebrities and metropolitan liberals, among whom the legalisation of hard drugs has become a cause celebre.'