A MISSING 47-year-old man has been found after police became “extremely concerned” for his welfare.

North Yorkshire Police officers say York man Stuart Aiken was located in the Osbaldwick link road area of York.

Earlier in the day they issued an appeal to find Mr Aiken and urged members of the public to contact police if they believed they had seen him.

This morning, an officer warned the public on Twitter not to open the doors of his Ford Mondeo if they saw him in his vehicle. 

During the search for Mr Aiken, a laser pen was shone at a police helicopter involved in the operation from the Ouse Bridge area of York.

Police in York have now arrested a man and a woman on suspicion of endangering an aircraft following the incident at about 2.45am this morning (Wednesday, September 26.)

The helicopter with The National Police Air Service, based in West Yorkshire, had been helping North Yorkshire Police in their search.

Officers in the helicopter guided officers on the ground to two suspects, a man aged 46 and a woman aged 29, who were arrested on the bridge on suspicion of endangering an aircraft. The two, who are of no fixed address, remain in police custody for questioning.

Inspector Andy Godfrey of York Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: "It goes without saying how dangerous it is to distract or try to blind an aircraft pilot.

“The consequences could have been catastrophic for the crew and members of the public on the ground."