A six-year-old boy grabbed the wheel of his family's pick-up truck and stopped it from crashing after his father became unconscious in the driver's seat.

Tustin Mains told police in North Platte, Nebraska, he was in the back seat with his three-year-old brother when their dad Phillip slumped over at the wheel.He had been driving the family home from a restaurant when he suffered a low blood sugar attack and suddenly passed out.

Brave Tustin leapt into his father's lap to steer the Chevrolet Avalanche for several blocks, even turning around when he entered an area he did not recognise.Although Mr Mains' foot had slipped off the accelerator, the vehicle continued to travel at 10-15mph with the boy at the wheel until it was spotted by police.

North Platte officer Roger Freeze ran up to the moving truck, reached through an open window and slipped the gearstick into neutral before rolling it into a park. Tustin later described how he saw his dad "fall asleep" and got scared, then was frightened again when the policeman appeared at the window.

When Officer Freeze stopped the vehicle, the youngster was "just happy", he told The North Platte Telegraph.Police Chief Martin Gutschenritter praised Tustin and said he was "a very special young man".He added: "He was able to take quick action when his dad was incapacitated, and we are very proud of him."

Mr Mains said Tustin had done a good job of driving the truck, with the only damage being a minor scrape which happened when he brushed the side of a bridge