I had recently got my PPL at a non-ATC airfield. I went on to do my night rating at Bournemouth, it was getting closer to summer and Bournmouth closed at 9pm. I had to do 5 more full stop landings to get my night rating, and it was only getting dark later and later, each flight I did, I only got in one Stop n go due to other traffic. On the last possible night of flying (sun set was 20:40 and curfew was 9pm) I managed to taxi and get airbourne just on darkness, with my instructors words ringing in my ears 'Make sure you are on the deck before 9pm, if 400 pounds a minute after 9pm', which shouldn't have been a problem as I only had one more landing to go to get the endorsement.
Anyway, as i was about to turn base, ATC asked me to orbit while they bought in an RPT, fine, it was a nice night and the lights of Bournemouth and the Solent spreadout were a pleasant site. Something must have happened at Southhampton, because suddenly he kept moving other aircraft from southhampton into Bournemouth ahead of me saying 'Sorry G-XYZ, you are now number two...then sorry XYZ, now number three..'. No problem all this orbiting at night is probably a good experience right?
It gets to 20:58, and its all gone quite on the RT, 20:59..Bournemouth says 'XYZ are you coming down tonight or are you staying up there until morning?'
Oops, I make like a stuka and get on the ground a minute or so past 9pm, remembering that I was actually allowed to contine the approach after all the other aircraft had landed.