A YOUNG boy who went missing while at a Premier League football ground, sparking a massive search, was found safe and well after he walked four miles to his grandmother's house.

Frankie Boynton, eight, became separated from his father towards the end of Middlesbrough's 1-0 win over Derby on Saturday.

His panic-stricken mother, Donna, feared someone had taken him, and an hour-long search was carried out.

The 29-year-old, who was working behind the bar in the upper West Stand, was alerted to the search when she heard an announcement asking her son to head towards a steward.

She said: "He must have gone down the tunnel towards the pitch to watch the rest of the match while his dad went to the toilet. When his dad came out, he went the other way, thinking he must have gone out of the stadium."

Despite being lost among fans streaming out of the Riverside Stadium Frankie did not panic and went to look for his father's car, but could not find it.

With hail and snow falling, he decided to walk to his grandmother's home in Broadwell Road, just around the corner from the family's home in Easterside.

His mother was upset that no one tried to help her son, despite him telling them he was lost.

She said: "He was an eight-year-old-boy who was lost and I think somebody could have taken him to some safety, maybe to a police officer or steward."

His father, also called Frankie, 40, said: "I did not want to panic Donna and thought I would just find him. I was looking all over for him and then she heard the announcement.

"My mind was racing with 40 thoughts and she was hysterical.

"We were still out looking for him when we got a phone call saying he had turned up at his nanna's. It was just a massive relief.

"In future I will give him a piece of paper with our numbers on so he can take it to a policeman or steward if it happens again."

Frankie left the Riverside Stadium and walked through the underpass towards the town centre, past McDonald's, near Cineworld. He then walked nearly the full length of Marton Road.