POLICE have threatened to arrest older boyfriends of girls under 16 for child abduction if they allow youngsters to stay with them without informing their parents.

The warning comes after a 15-year-old Blackburn girl, who had been reported missing, was found safe and well at her 21-year-old boyfriend's home the next day.

The high school pupil was reported missing by her distraught parents after failing to return home from school on Thursday.

After searching through the night police eventually found her at her boyfriend's home in Galligreaves, Blackburn, on Friday lunchtime, unaware of the worry she had caused her parents.

Her boyfriend was arrested on suspicion of child abduction then released without charge.

Now police are warning adult partners of youngsters to act more responsibly or face arrest and the possibility of having to defend their actions in court.

Inspector Steve Haworth said: "We would like to point out to any person who would think of allowing a young person to stay with them without the knowledge of their parents or guardians that the police will take positive action which may include arresting any such person.

"In this case the girl did not come to any harm and she went quite willingly.

"But he allowed her to stay there knowing she was 15 and made no attempt to check with her parents whether or not she had permission to stay out.

"This case occurred through thoughtlessness, not evil intent, but we don't know until we have acquired all the facts what the circumstances are and therefore we have to take positive action."

Inspector Haworth added: "This case was dreadful for the parents. When we phoned her mother at lunchtime to tell her her daughter was safe she burst into tears and was very grateful.

"As well as causing distress, this type of case is a huge expenditure on police time. We do not stop until we have found them. In this case 34 separate actions had to be undertaken until we found the girl.

"We need people to act responsibly and be aware they will be treated seriously.

"We want to reduce incidents of this type and if that means arresting people to ensure that the message that we won't tolerate it gets across, then so be it."