Streetwise Aaran Taylor took matters into his own hands when he thought he deserved an extra birthday cake after reaching the grand old age of five.

Aaron managed to sneak out of school, take a bus to Tesco and get all the way to the checkout with a trolley full of cakes before he was stopped.

His mother, Kerry Smith, 23, of Mortimer Mews, Hove, said: "I just cannot believe he got all the way there without anyone noticing him.

"I was frantic when I heard he'd disappeared. I'm 22 weeks pregnant as well and had the police and everybody involved."

Kerry found out her son was missing from West Hove Infants School in Portland Road when his teacher called on Friday afternoon.

In the meantime, he was making his way to Tesco, a mile away in Church Road. Kerry said: "We scoured the school area, local parks and corner shops but we couldn't find him anywhere.

"We did not think he would get on a bus. He was missing for about two hours and there were eight or nine teachers out looking for him.

"I had to go and leave my other son, Reece, at his nan's. He had no idea what was going on except that mummy had to run off.

"They have a magnetic locking system at West Hove so I have no idea how he got out.

"Eventually we got a call saying he'd been found by a checkout girl at Tesco."

Kerry was disappointed no one had noticed her son before he reached the supermarket.

She said: "He was in his school uniform, he's not particularly tall and he's got quite baby features. You wouldn't think he's older than he is.

"None of the security at Tesco spotted him either. They only realised once all his cakes had been swiped through the checkout.

"The checkout girl told him the total amount before she saw there was no one with him to pay.

"I really can't believe nobody stopped him in all that time. It's amazing he even got on the bus in the first place,or knew which stop he needed for Tesco.

"All I can think is he guessed because he's been shopping before with me and my partner, Dean. I asked him how he knew where to get off and he said he'd recognised a school gate they went past.

"Luckily he is quite streetwise and observant. He's five going on 15."

It is not the first time Aaran has gone shopping by himself. He set off from home on another outing last year.

Kerry said: "That time he went to Alldays down the end of the road on his bike.

"He bought some sweets, an apple and a pint of milk and took them all to eat in the park.

"Again, nobody thought to ask him what he was doing by himself."

A spokesman for Tesco declined to comment.