A HUGE search involving police and divers was continuing last night for a seven-year-old boy who has gone missing at a seaside resort.Fears were growing for Daniel Entwistle after his bicycle was found abandoned on a riverside quay close to his home in Great Yarmouth.

A HUGE search involving police and divers was continuing last night for a seven-year-old boy who has gone missing at a seaside resort.

Fears were growing for Daniel Entwistle after his bicycle was found abandoned on a riverside quay close to his home in Great Yarmouth.

Police helicopters from Suffolk and Norfolk, dog handlers, 60 uniformed officers, coastguards, the RNLI and residents from Daniel's estate turned out yesterday to take part in the search.

Divers also searched the River Yare for clues as thousands of bank holidaymakers enjoyed the spring sunshine along the busy seafront lined with amusements, arcades and restaurants.

As the search intensified for Daniel – who vanished at 5pm on Saturday – his distraught mother Paula made an emotional appeal for help in finding him.

Choking back the tears, the 30-year-old said: "If anybody knows or has seen anything, anything, suspicious or untoward could they please just ring the police. Daniel if you are watching, please come home, you are not in trouble, please come home."

She was comforted by Daniel's father David, 41. The youngster, who has two brothers aged two and 10, left the family home in Copperfield Avenue to visit neighbours and has not been seen since.

Mrs Entwistle said he had gone missing before, but had been found two hours later – ironically in the area where the red-and-white bike was discovered.

She said of Daniel: "He's outgoing, he's pleasant, he can be mischievous like a lot of children and he's a bit of a loner. But he says 'Hi' to anybody. He has friends that live locally and we just thought he was there."

The schoolboy's abandoned bicycle found by the quayside wall at the bottom of a lane flanked on each side by an empty former lighthouse operations depot and a petrol station. It was covered by a white plastic tent while forensic officers examined the scene.

The area is surrounded by riverside industrial units and the River Yare is well used by commercial and private boat users.

The man leading the search for Daniel, Detective Superintendent Julian Gregory, appealed to residents and visitors to the resort to help them find the boy.

"I am sure we can all imagine the trauma the parents are going through and we want the public to help us. If anyone is with Daniel, we urge them to make contact as soon as possible," he said.

"Daniel is seven years of age, he's been missing since the early part of yesterday. We are very concerned about his whereabouts and his safety and welfare. We are actively pursuing every option so we are not ruling anything in or out."

Police were following up a number of unconfirmed sightings of the Greenacre First School pupil close to his home and a spokesman said searches of the Great Yarmouth area would continue through the night.

Daniel, whose family moved to Norfolk from Burnley three years ago, is described as 3ft 2in tall, of thin build, with light-brown, cropped hair and a northern accent.

When he disappeared he was wearing a blue Adidas T-shirt, blue tracksuit bottoms and grey-coloured training shoes.

Residents of the estate where Daniel lives said their thoughts were with his family. One woman, who did not want to be named, said: "It's a shame it's happened, I feel sorry for the family. It's a good community here and it's quite close. It's hard to say where he is."

Another woman added: "This is a friendly community and the kids all play together and they all look out for each other."

Anyone with information about the disappearance of Daniel Entwistle should contact Norfolk police on 01953 424242.