Child spotted walking streets near to Grimsby may have been "sleep-walking"

A boy, believed to be no older than 8, who was spotted walking around New Waltham in North East Lincolnshire may have been sleep-walking at the time.

Police have been going door-to-door in the town over the weekend after concerns were raised on Friday morning.

Officers are confident the child hasn't come to any harm, and may have snuck out of his house to visit a friend.

Humberside Police say they've not received a missing persons report.

Detective Inspector Kerry Bull said: “Further to our appeals for information following a concern for safety of a child seen wandering alone around New Waltham, I wanted to offer an update.

“Officers from across the Force continued to come together into Friday evening and over the weekend, exhausting all possible lines of enquiry to determine the child concerned and full circumstances.

“We never received a report of a missing person and enquiries have not led us to a crime having been committed.

“I want to reiterate my statement from Friday and reassure the public that we don’t believe the child has come to any harm.

“It is our belief that this child had slept-walked or left the address to meet a friend and returned to bed shortly after, potentially unaware they are the centre of a report of a concern for safety.

“Despite no offences or risk to a child’s safety being identified on this occasion, we take all reports of this nature incredibly seriously.

“It’s our duty to make sure we do everything we can to ensure no child come’s into harm’s way.”

• Grimsby
• child
• Police