A teenage boy returned home early yesterday, after sparking a search by Land Search and Rescue on Thursday night.
Sgt Richard Panting said the 13-year-old went missing in Glenleith about 5pm on Thursday.
He was expected to be back home in the evening but when he did not return to his home near Ross Creek, Land Search and Rescue was notified and deployed.
Sergeant Panting said there was a "high risk" the boy could have ended up in the Ross Creek reservoir.
Nine field teams from LandSAR, including a tracking dog, searched through the night for the boy.
A team found his shoes floating in a culvert nearby.
"This for us raised concerns that he could be in water," Sgt Panting said.
However, the tracking team determined the boy had moved away from the reservoir.
Sgt Panting said when the tracking teams were "hot on the heels" of the missing boy, he returned home of his own accord.
"He’s spent the night out ... in the cold and then returned home."
Local information enabled the LandSAR teams to track his location.
Sgt Panting thanked volunteers for their time and efforts and praised the information provided by the public.
It was a good result to have the boy return home safe and well, he said.
