Two little girls rescued from locked car in Abu Dhabi

Police rescued two young girls who were locked inside a car parked outside the capital's court building.

ABU DHABI // Two little sisters were rescued from a locked car with no air-conditioning outside the capital's court building yesterday.

The Saudi girls, aged 2 and 4, were crying and pounding on the car window when seen by a policewoman.

One of the windows was slightly open so the policewoman, Houreya, and a passer-by opened it with a thin metal rod. The girls were pulled out of as they cried hysterically.

Houreya notified Civil Defence as she waited for the parents.

The mother arrived 15 minutes later carrying the girls' baby brother. She said she had been with the children when her husband called her to complete some paperwork.

She said she switched off the engine and locked the doors as she feared for the safety of the girls if she left the car open and running. "I left the front window open slightly to allow air for them to breathe."

Her husband arrived soon after and said they left the girls for a few minutes because he was in a hurry. He tried to leave with his wife and children, but a police car blocked his path while back-up arrived.

Police then wrote a report on the incident and took the details from the father and witnesses.