A four-year-old boy who went missing in London more than two years ago has been found following an appeal by his father on The Late Late Show on Friday. The child was located by gardai in Co Cork early on Saturday morning after his father appealed on the television programme for his safe return.
It is understood that following the television appeal gardai received more than 50 phone calls including reported sightings. A caller in the Macroom area led gardai to the boy, and he was subsequently found in rented accommodation at Kilnamartyr, near Ballyvourney, on the main Cork-Killarney road. Local people in the small close-knit community were unaware of his presence or of his circumstances.
The father said last night he was relieved that the search was finally over. It was the end of a two-year nightmare, and he was looking forward to seeing his son.
The father last saw his son on October 23rd, 1997, when he went missing from his north London home. A Garda spokesman said the boy was located in the State on Saturday and was safe and well.
A statement from the Garda press office said that no further details could be reported until the matter was dealt with before the courts, following a High Court order which was made when the child was still missing.