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A reveller who sparked a massive police search in Birmingham after going missing has been found – and admitted to his mum who was left frantic with worry: “I got lucky.”

Dale Rowlinson-Bates disappeared after coming to the city for a night out on New Year’s Eve.

But the 20-year-old has now turned up on mum Julie’s doorstep making a grovelling apology for causing such a fuss, admitting he had spent the time with a young lady.

Distraught mum Julie called the police after her son failed to return home on New Year’s Day as expected after partying with pals at the city centre Q Club.

The sheepish 20-year-old turned up, saying his mobile phone battery was flat so he couldn’t call.

Ms Rowlinson-Bates, a 44-year-old teaching assistant, said Dale, who had no idea about the alarm he had caused, had apologised.

The mother-of-five said: “He did say ‘Sorry Mum’. He’s been very quiet since. I’m so thankful he’s OK. All sorts of things go through your mind. It felt like a lifetime, he was away.”

Her ordeal began when he sent a text to her at 8.30pm, wishing her a Happy New Year and adding that his battery was about to run out.

She called the police after he failed to return home and after checking with his friends who said he was fine as they left the club around 5.30am.

Ms Rowlinson-Bates from Linton, Swadlincote said: “He had been staying in Birmingham with a girl. He went to the rave and then went on to an after-rave which mates didn’t know anything about with this girl.

“He obviously spent a day or so with the girl and then came home.”

Ms Rowlinson-Bates said Dale had enough money to get back on the train but his mobile was flat which she described as being ‘totally out of character’.

He contacted his older brother Kieran, aged 24, at 4pm, before walking through his door to see his mum at 6pm.

She said: “I felt relieved and just broke down and hugged him and said please do not ever do this to me again.

“He got upset because he saw how upset I was and didn’t realise that we had all been so worried.

“He wasn’t aware that any of this was going on. He had had a good time by the sounds of it but it was every parent’s nightmare not knowing where they are.”

She said her son had been warned not to go out again without a fully charged phone.

“He will be getting a bit of a ribbing from his mates. It wasn’t funny from my side as a mom, panic sets in.”

Ms Rowlinson-Bates, who thanked all her family, friends and Derbyshire Police for their support and help, said: “That’s lads for you, they don’t understand how much you worry.”