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Boy, six, who went missing from motorway service station found safe and well nine hours later following huge search

Aadil Umair Rahim was found safe and well nine hours after disappearing from Newport Pagnell Services near the M1 (Picture: Google Maps)
Aadil Umair Rahim was found safe and well nine hours after disappearing from Newport Pagnell Services near the M1 (Picture: Google Maps)

A six-year-old boy who went missing at a motorway services was found safe and well nine hours after he disappeared.

Aadil Umair Rahim is believed to have been found sitting on a box near roadworks on the M1 close to the service station just before 4am.

He had disappeared from the services, where reports suggested he was part of a coach party that stopped to use the toilets, at 7.15pm the night before.

The six-year-old’s disappearance sparked a widespread search that involved police helicopters, search dogs and officers on foot as well as hundreds of volunteers.

On Saturday morning Thames Valley Police confirmed that Aadil had been found and thanked the public, media and search and rescue teams for their assistance.

Aadil’s dad Umair reportedly thanked everyone who had helped search for his son on Facebook, writing: "Alhamdulilah My son has arrived and he is safe now. Thanks for the prayers. Shukar to Allah.”

Superintendent Amy Clements, said: “This was a very difficult operation involving a very young boy and we are relieved to say that Aadil has been found safe and well.

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She added: “I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the local community, who immediately offered help in trying to find Aadil.

“Also I'd like to thank those who have co-operated with police during this time.

"This was a large operation in difficult conditions so I'd like to also publicly thank the search and rescue teams who assisted in the search and the large number of officers involved, including the National Police Air Service which helped bring this positive resolution.

“We are so very glad that he has been found and are thankful to everyone involved in assisting with that."