MISSING youngster Martin Duguid was dramatically found today after police swooped on the seafront of a south coast holiday resort.
A concerned resident in Worthing, Sussex, phoned the police after she spotted a man and a boy with blond hair sleeping in a shelter.
Detectives working on several sightings of 12-year-old Martin in the Worthing area went to the scene shortly after 10am and moments later found a man and a child in gardens next to a hotel.
Martin, who has been missing from his Blackburn home in Dalton Close for six days, is safe and well and was to be reunited with his overjoyed parents later today.
PC Chris Saunders of Sussex Police said: "We acted on a tip off from a woman who phoned us this morning before 10am and said she had seen them on the seafront. We conducted a massive search of the area and they were found a few minutes later in Steyne Gardens near the Chatsworth Hotel.
"A man was arrested and is in custody. A child with him at the time is safe and well."
Police launched a nationwide hunt after Martin went missing from his home last Tuesday evening. He was last seen in the company of known paedophile James Warke.
Detective Chief Inspector Mick Turner has been leading a team of 50 detectives in the hunt for Martin.
He said: "Martin was traced earlier today as a result of a partnership between the police, the media and the public.
"Martin has been found safe and well by police and will be reunited with his family. They were extremely happy to be told the news." Detectives have been working on hundreds of leads from across the country following the disappearance of Martin.
James Warke, 36, of flat 5, Lincoln Close, Blackburn, has a history of sex offences against youngsters and was being monitored by police.
He was jailed for three years in 1996 for abducting two 14-year-old boys from a Blackpool amusement arcade.
Warke, who was working as a kitchen porter in the town at the time of the abduction, served just over half his sentence.
He was released on licence and was being monitored by probation workers until the end of 1998. Warke moved to Blackburn in December of last year.
Although he was still on the sex offenders register neighbours reported that children had been visiting Warke.
Christina Duguid, who lost custody of Martin, his 17-year-old brother George and younger sister Claire when she split up from their father David, spoke of her relief earlier today.
Mrs Duguid, of Hilton Road, Darwen, said: "I couldn't believe it when they rang to tell me he had been found. It is such a relief and I'm so pleased. I just can't wait to see him now."
Warke, who is also known as Jimbo, has a criminal record which also includes offences for violence and dishonesty.
He was not being monitored by the probation service because any orders that had been placed on him had finished.
Because he was on the register, Warke had to tell police where he was living and they had the responsibility of monitoring his activities. Anne Matthews, of Lancashire Probation Service, said: "Up until the end of December, 1998, Warke was under our supervision.
"Up until that time we were liaising closely with the police and monitoring Warke closely."
Ports and airports had been warned to be on the look-out for blond-haired Martin, and detectives had admitted they were gravely concerned for Martin's safety.
Hundreds of people called in with possible sightings from every corner of the country over the weekend.
There was even a tip-off from Spain where two men were spotted in a bar with a youngster.
Martin vanished from his home on Tuesday evening following a row with his father and stepmother David and Margaret Duguid over household chores.
The delighted couple were told the news today and were being looked after by police officers.
Martin was spotted with Warke in Blackburn town centre and later in the car park of Tesco in Hill Street on Thursday but there had been no confirmed sightings since.
Police appealed for information before the match between Blackburn Rovers and Nottingham Forest at Ewood Park on Saturday afternoon.
Pictures of Warke and Martin were flashed on the video screen before the game.
Officers interviewed Martin's friends and classmates at Queen's Park High School.
Police said the 36-year-old man arrested in Sussex would be brought back to Blackburn for questioning.
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