THROWING your 19-year-old offspring out of the house because he refuses to get out of bed in the mornings is a harsh punishment.

Other parents who have been driven to the end of their tether by awkward teenagers will probably sympathise with John Forster-Heatlie.

His son Vinny, who ended up sleeping in a tent, now says he will never come back to Swindon.

We hope he changes his mind and gets a prodigal son style welcome. Families are important.