A MISSING youngster who sparked a helicopter search after escaping from a children's 'zoo' is back behind bars!

Nine-year-old James Percival, who is autistic, wandered off from the Alphabet Zoo play centre in Whitefield on Sunday. He was found almost an hour-and-a-half later 20 miles away in Wythenshawe, after hopping on a bus.

After a frantic search involving Bury's police helicopter, he is back home with his family at their Meadowcroft home in Radcliffe, which they affectionately refer to as 'the mini-fortress'.

For mum Dawn explained that Sunday's escapade is just the latest in a catalogue of incidents relating to her son's autism.

Over the years, the angelic looking youngster has:

Smashed every window in the house.

Ripped a leather Chesterfield settee apart with his bare hands.

Tore up carpets.

Destroyed the family beds.

Pulled down the garden fence.

Wrenched doors from their hinges.

Pulled the bathroom sink off the wall.

Dawn said: "He looks like an angel, but he is as strong as a 30-year-old man. His autism means he has the mental age of a two-year-old."

The family went to Alphabet Zoo to celebrate James' younger brother Tom's birthday. But when a crowd of people walked out the door, James mingled in with them.

Dawn said: "He's big for his age, so nobody would think anything was unusual about him wandering down the street or getting on a bus."

Fortunately, a quick-thinking bus driver spotted James in Wythenshawe and delivered him to the police station.

The family have now reinforced their home with 6ft high metal fencing to stop James 'escaping', and fitted locks and bolts to all the doors.

Eighteen months ago James had to spend a year at home after staff at Millwood Special School in Bury said they could no longer guarantee the safety of other pupils.

But for six months, following a successful campaign by his mother, James has been taught in a classroom of his own. He even has his own nursery nurse, teacher and dinner lady.

Dawn said: "Since he's been back at Millwood the difference is unbelievable. The teachers are totally marvellous, they have so much patience. He was very destructive while he was at home all day, but he is a lot better now.

"We're just waiting to hear from Bury social services to see if we can have windows with special toughened glass fitted."

But despite life's ups and downs, Dawn says there is no way she would send her son away to boarding school.

She said: "He can't help the way he is. He's my baby and I love him."

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