A SEARCH for a missing camper was called off when he arrived back at his tent after a day's sightseeing.

The middle-aged man had not been seen for more than 24 hours when police were alerted on Friday evening.

He had been camping at East Mellwaters Farm, off the A66 near Bowes, County Durham.

Police called the Teesdale and Weardale Search and Rescue Team, which spent two hours searching moorland around the farm helped by a police helicopter.

A search group found the red-faced holidaymaker on his way back to his tent from a day spent sightseeing in Barnard Castle.

Team spokesman Stephen Marrs said: "With the information we had it was possible that this man had set off on a local walk and either been taken ill or had an accident.

"The people who reported him missing did everything right in reporting this to the police."