An eight-year-old boy who sparked a major hunt when he failed to turn up for school was found hiding in bushes nearby.
A police helicopter was drafted in to help search for Connor Beck before his father spotted him in shrubbery in the grounds of his primary school in Lochmaben, Dumfries and Galloway, on Wednesday.
The alarm had been raised around seven hours earlier when the youngster did not turn up for class.
His father, David Beck, 43, said Connor thought he was going to get into trouble but he only felt relief when he found his son after the "horrendous" ordeal.
Mr Beck told the Scottish Sun: "Nothing like this has ever happened before. But we will get to the bottom of it."
Connor left his home at around 9.20am to walk to Lochmaben Primary School but never arrived. Worried friends and family were joined by members of the local football team in combing the area and local police issued an appeal at around 2.45pm.
His mother, Charlene, 31, was reportedly involved in a car crash during the hunt and was treated for minor injuries in hospital.
A Police Scotland spokesman said: ''Police Scotland report that the missing boy, Connor Beck, has turned up safe and well.
"Officers and family thank everyone for their concern and assistance.''
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