A RELIEVED Worcester mum is singing the police's praises after they found her son safe within hours of him going missing.

Fifteen-year-old David Brooks, of Amberley Close, Blackpole - who has Downs syndrome - sparked a huge police hunt after he disappeared on Monday morning, with 20 officers and the police helicopter scouring the area.

Friends, relatives and neighbours also joined in the search around the neighbourhood. Mum Jane said she was upstairs. David came to chat to her several times before going downstairs. Minutes later - at around 9.30am - she went downstairs herself and could find no sign of him. After nearly an hour of friends and neighbours, including his 19-year-old brother Richard, searching the house and immediate vicinity, a frantic Mrs Brooks called police.

She said: "I was terrified because he's not streetwise and has severe learning difficulties. Everything goes through your mind, especially with that little boy in Scotland recently." Within minutes, officers came to the home and scoured the house and garage before widening the search, with calls coming in from people having seen him near Sainsbury's in Windermere Drive, Blackpole and Tesco in Mill Wood Drive, Warndon, Worcester.

David was eventually found by police at about 1pm in the Harleys area of the city after a sighting in Dugdale Drive - more than two miles from his home - and he was taken back to his mum.

It appeared the youngster - a pupil at Manor Park School Special School in St John's - had climbed a 6ft-high gate at the front of his home and was trying to find one of his school friends. Mrs Brooks said she thought he had been following the route of the bus that takes him to school.

She added: "I can't describe how relieved I was - there was a massive response from the police and everyone who all came out to support us."

A south Worcestershire police spokesman said: "We were delighted we were able to assist in David's safe return. We're indebted to members of the public who provided useful information that enabled us to find him so quickly."