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Boy, 10, disappears on walk home |
Missing 10-year-old boy is safe |
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(about 1 hour later)
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Police have issued an urgent appeal to find a 10-year-old Birmingham boy. | A 10-year-old Birmingham boy, who was missing for more than 12 hours, has been found safe and well. |
Ben Smythe was last seen when he left his friend's home in Riddfield Road, Bromford, about 1900 GMT on Sunday to walk the short distance to his home. | Ben Smythe disappeared after he left his friend's home in Riddfield Road, Bromford, about 1900 GMT on Sunday to walk the short distance to his home. |
A West Midlands Police spokeswoman said "his family are extremely concerned due to his young age and vulnerability". | West Midlands Police said however that Ben had been found at about lunchtime. |
Ben, of Bromford Drive, is white, 5ft tall, slim, with short blond hair. He was wearing a long coat with a hood, jeans and a cream and green T-shirt. | Police had carried out house-to-house inquiries and the force helicopter in the search for Ben, who recently moved to Bromford Drive. |
Police searched the area overnight and the force's helicopter was used in the search. House-to-house inquiries in the area are continuing. | Ben had been playing football with his friend Simon Kesterton and they had gone to a chip shop before the disappearance. |
Police are conducting house-to-house inquiries | |
Ben had been playing football with his friend Simon Kesterton. | |
"We went to the chip shop and we came back... Ben then walked off," said Simon. | |
"That was at about 7pm." | |
The police spokeswoman said it was possible Ben had gone off "of his own accord". | |
"He was walking back from his friend's house last night and it's a long time for a 10-year-old to be off on their own," she said. | |
Neighbours told the BBC that Ben and his family were new to the road. | |
Anyone with information is urged to contact police at Stechford on 0845 113 5000. | |