Police follow up sights of Daniel

DETECTIVES investigating the disappearance of a seven-year-old boy missing for two days were last night following up several potential sightings of the youngster on the day he went missing.

Daniel Entwistle, from Great Yarmouth was last seen by his parents at around 5pm on Saturday.

Specialist police search teams joined uniformed officers, police divers, dog handlers, volunteers, coastguards and a Royal National Lifeboat Institution hovercraft in the hunt for the youngster yesterday.

Two thousand posters appealing for the public's help were put in the windows of town centre shops, amusement arcades and residents' homes.

His mother Paula, 30, made an emotional plea to the son she described as a happy, kind and mischievous little boy.

Police released security camera footage showing Daniel running an errand for his family to a convenience store close to his house shortly before he disappeared.

Det Supt Julian Gregory, who is leading the investigation, said: "He went home from the shop, taking a bottle of milk home for his mother and then went to play on his bike.

"There were a couple of other sightings that evening but beyond that we don't know."

The footage is believed to be from 5.02pm, although police are not sure of the accuracy of the timing on the camera.

Another reported sighting of the missing youngster put him close to where a red bicycle, believed to be Daniel's, was found abandoned by a riverside.

Mr Gregory said detectives were also looking a two reported sightings of Daniel at around 8pm on Saturday close to his home on the Barrack estate.

Police were studying security camera footage from another undisclosed location showing a boy who is believed to be Daniel, he said.

Mr Gregory said detectives were still keeping an open mind about what could have happened to the boy.

When asked if he thought Daniel had been abducted, or fallen into the River Yare, he said: "They are possibilities we have to consider.'

He said it was also possible the boy had had an accident and been injured.

Fifty specialist search officers from Norfolk Police were taking part in the hunt along with dozens of uniformed officers.

They have been searching dockside units and warehouses, Daniel's school, the beach area and the town centre.

Mr Gregory said there had been no reports of anyone acting suspiciously in the area.

Daniel's mother said her son was in a happy mood when she saw him for the last time.

Mrs Entwistle said: "Daniel was happy. There was nothing out of the ordinary.'

Holding her husband David's hand during an emotional appeal to her son, she said: "Just come home. We both miss you and you are not in trouble. If anybody knows anything, please, please let the police know even if it's stupid.

"If anyone has seen anything suspicious, just ring the police because you are not wasting their time because they have people out there looking for Daniel. We just want Daniel home, please. All we want is Daniel back.'

Speaking about her son, who has two brothers, Antony, 10, and John, two, she said: "Daniel's very mischievous, he always gets into trouble, but he's a happy little boy and he's kind. Daniel has behavioural problems, he doesn't understand about looking after toys. He's left bikes outside shops before, and the bike left outside the river doesn't mean anything.

"It could have been left at the park and dumped at the garage because a lot of bikes end up there.'