Italian Mercedes Joyrider, 13, Reunited with Family after 1,000km 'Incredible Journey'

A runaway 13-year-old boy who drove nearly 1,000km across Europe after taking his father's Mercedes has been re-united with his family.

The boy, a keen Go-Kart enthusiast, took to the road after rowing with his parents in Italy, according to reports.

Taking off with just 200 euros and a passport in his pocket, he managed to cross the border into Austria and is understood to have been heading for his native Poland. But he was finally apprehended by traffic police in Germany two days later, 150 kilometres from the Polish border .

The teenager, whose family live in the northern Italian town of Montebelluna, had been adopted two years ago.

The boy, who has not been named, is thought to have been angry when his adoptive parents confiscated his mobile phone after he topped up on credit without their consent.

The boy vanished on Thursday afternoon after a row with his adoptive mother.

His parents added that he had been missing his sister, who lives in Poland, and had been in contact with her over the internet, Italian media reported.

The car was eventually tracked and stopped near Moisburg, about 150km from the Polish border.

Police said it was "incredible" that he had managed to cross two international borders and filled up with petrol twice without anyone en route raising the alarm.

"He looks like a 16-year-old, but still, he managed to refuel and pass two borders. It's incredible," said Eleonora Spadati, the head of local Carabinieri police in Montebelluna.

The teenager's parents are understood to have travelled to Germany to bring him home.