A seven-year-old boy who sparked a full scale police search after going missing from home in York has turned up safe and well at school.

Steven Sharman was reported missing from the home of his grandparents in the Clifton area of the city yesterday evening.

He had not returned after going out playing with friends and had last been seen at 7pm.

Police made house-to-house inquiries in the area last night and were all set to mount a full scale search of the Clifton Backies nature reserve this morning when Steven arrived at school.

North Yorkshire Police spokesman Tony Lidgate said: "A teacher asked him where he had been. He said he had been staying with friends but he ran off because he thought he was in trouble."

Steven went straight home and Mr Lidgate said the child appeared to be fine.

Updated: 08:59 Tuesday, February 06, 2001