Manhunt sparked after six-year-old disappeared from service station on school trip

Aadil Umair Rahim found safe near roadworks off the northbound carriageway of M1

Newport Pagnell service station, where Aadil Umair Rahim, 6, went missing (Google Maps)

A six-year-old boy who vanished from an M1 service station during a school trip sparked a nine-hour-long search involving over 1,000 people.

Aadil Umair Rahim disappeared at Newport Pagnell Services on the M1 motorway on Friday evening while on a school trip from Nottingham to London.

Thames Valley Police launched a search for him around 7.15pm and he was found nine hours later, as temperatures fell to 1C by around 4am on Saturday.

The school coach he was on stopped at the service station near Milton Keynes for a break on its way back to Nottingham after the trip.

Aadil was found safe near roadworks off the northbound carriageway, close to a footbridge near Newbolt Close around 4.15am.

His father, Umair Rahim, said on Facebook: “My son has arrived and he is safe now. Thanks for the prayers. Shukar to Allah.

“Thanks to Thames Valley Police helicopter services fire department and safe and rescue department who worked tirelessly for nine hours and found him safe.

“There was more than a 1,000 people looking for him I’m thankful to everyone [sic].”

The boy was thought to be hiding in the service station initially but search teams became increasingly concerned as the temperature plummeted and he was still not found.

Thames Valley Police Superintendent Amy Clements expressed the great relief of all involved when Aadil was found.

“This was a very difficult operation involving a very young boy and we are relieved to say that Aadil has been found safe and well,” she said.

“I’d like to take this opportunity to thank the local community, who immediately offered help in trying to find Aadil.

“This was a large operation in difficult conditions so I’d like to also publicly thank the search and rescue teams who assisted in the search and the large number of officers involved, including the National Police Air Service which helped bring this positive resolution.

“We are so very glad he has been found and are thankful to everyone assisting with that.”