Update - the boy has been found safe and well*
An appeal has been launched to help locate a young boy last seen on a North East residential street.
Cleveland Police are appealing for more information to help find a young boy, aged 3 to 4, last seen walking alone in the Hart Lane area of Hartlepool, near to Briar Hill Gardens at 7.40am this morning (June 2).
He is described as a white male with ginger hair and is only wearing a top.
Read more: Appeal renewed after Greenfield Way, Norton arson attack
He was seen carrying an elf on the shelf and a piece of paper.
A Cleveland Police spokesperson said: "Officers are urgently appealing for information from the public following sightings of a young boy in Hartlepool.
"Police received a report that a young boy, aged around 3 or 4-years-old, was walking alone in the Hart Lane area of Hartlepool, near to Briar Hill Gardens at 7.40am this morning (Friday 2nd June)."
Officers are currently searching the area to see if they can locate the child.
Anyone who may have seen the child or anyone with information is asked to contact Cleveland Police on 101, quoting reference number 105974.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here