POLICE launched a search last night after a young child was reported to have been seen walking the streets of Newton Aycliffe.

The incident, which was ongoing around 9.30pm, was centred on the Garburn Place area of the town.

However, police say no child was reported missing at the time.

Insp Kevin Blakey, of Durham police, said last night: "We had a reported sighting of a young male and we are trying to ascertain if somebody is missing.

"We are making sure we have not got a young child wandering the streets, are doing some house-to-house knocks and have had the helicopter up and the dog section out.

"We have had one sighting and one possible sighting. They may be unconnected, but I would hate to think that we had a kiddy missing."