A YOUNG child, missing at the beach for almost two hours, was reunited with his family after policing teams from Bournemouth and Poole combined forces.

While on mobile patrol along Poole’s promenades on Sunday, July 17, neighbourhood policing team (NPT) officers were flagged down by members of the public just west of Branksome Chine.

They alerted officers to a six-year-old boy who advised them he couldn't find his parents.

Poole NPT then liaised with Bournemouth Police where it was found there had been a significant police response three miles to the east in relation to a missing six-year-old boy from almost two hours prior.

Thankfully, it was the same child and officers were able to reunite him with his family.

A Poole Police spokesperson then highlighted the council’s KidZone scheme, which provides free wristbands for children where phone numbers can be written to assist if a child gets lost.

These wristbands can be collected from:

  • LV KidZone reps
  • BCP seafront team (light blue polos)
  • RNLI lifeguards (white sand huts/red tops)

More information is available on the BCP Council website.