Police say they are no longer looking into reports of a missing Ukrainian child following concerns that a boy had been spotted alone and “distressed.”

Officers in Yarm launched an investigation following a report that a boy may be lost after being spotted on his own.

Police said that a member of the public contacted them just before 6.40pm yesterday Sunday, July 3) with concerns for a young child she had seen out alone on his scooter near Nursery Gardens in Yarm.

The boy had very limited English but appeared to indicate he was Ukrainian.

Read more: Boy from Ukraine separated from his family while in North East town

As the caller was relaying to police she believed the child was lost and distressed, he bolted into the nearby estate and disappeared from sight, police said.

A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: “Police have confirmed that they are confident the original call regarding concern for an unaccompanied child in Yarm last night was made in good faith however since we have not received any report of a missing child of that age and since all possible lines of enquiry have been followed, the matter will now be closed.

“We would like to thank all those who shared our appeals and in particular those who came forward with information which helped our enquiries.”

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