A man and a woman remain in custody in the North today after four children reported missing from their Co Louth home were found safe and well in Co Down yesterday.
The four children were found by PSNI officers at 1pm yesterday at an upmarket holiday home on the outskirts of Newcastle.
The man (30) and a 28-year-old woman were arrested at the scene. They can be held for 48 hours.
The children, originally from Britain, were reported missing from their home in Tullykeel, Ardee, where they had been living since Christmas.
Their mother who had been receiving hospital treatment, reported them missing when she returned home.
The discovery was made at Newcastle Country Cottages, a small number of high-end rural holiday properties in the picturesque Carnacaville area overlooking the Mourne mountains.
It is understood the police were led to the scene by a tip-off from a member of the public following a sustained appeal for information on both sides of the Border and in Britain.
Police had circulated pictures of the four children along with an image of a man. It is thought this prompted a response from the public leading to the safe location of the children.
The Garda, the PSNI and forces from Britain were all involved in the search along with Interpol.
The children were originally thought to have been in the company of a man who is also originally from the south of England and who was driving an English registered Vauxhall Zafira car.
Once the children were reported missing in Louth, it is understood that police officers investigated the purchase of some £300 worth of clothes from a well-known department store in neighbouring Co Down. The police search then led the 20 miles from Newry to Newcastle, where they were found.
In a statement, the Garda offered its thanks to all police services involved in the search. “We wish to extend our thanks to the media for their co-operation and assistance with the appeal, this assistance was invaluable in bringing this case to its conclusion and finally we would like to thank the public for their assistance.”