A MOTHER has thanked the public for their help in finding her missing 11-year-old son.

The alarm was raised on Monday evening when Joshua Kemp failed to return to his home in Goodman Close, Kings Furlong, after attending Cranbourne Business and Enterprise College.

News of Joshua’s disappearance quickly spread after Hampshire Constabulary posted an appeal on its Facebook page to say the young boy’s family was becoming increasingly concerned.

The post prompted a huge response as thousands of people shared the appeal, and many offered to go out and search for Joshua around Basingstoke throughout the night.

His mother Karen Kemp said it was a member of the public who recognised him early on Tuesday morning and called the police.

In a post on Facebook on Tuesday, Mrs Kemp said that Joshua was missing for 16 hours “in the cold and dark”, and was found just five minutes from his home.

She added: “Our heads are mashed, never felt so many emotions, amazed by everyone last night, our amazing friends and complete strangers who rallied around, braved the awful cold and pouring rain, to those who stayed up all night with us, prayed with us, sent love and comforting messages, everyone who shared his picture, the amazing police (on and off duty) well just everyone, we can’t thank you all enough but a special thanks to the member of the public that spotted him and rung the police.”

She added that the family’s phones were being switched off as they needed “family time, hugs and rest”.

It is not clear exactly where Joshua was found or why he did not return home.

Police said he had been found “safe and well” and thanked people for their support.

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