A police probe surrounding missing Ayrshire boy Carson Shephard has closed as his uncle hailed him as a 'hide and seek champion'.
Officers have halted enquiries now that the seven-year-old has been found safe and well following 12 hours of drama in New Cumnock.
Carson was eventually discovered this morning when specialist officers used heat sensors to trace him in his granny's loft hiding inside a wall cavity.
His desperate mother has told how teams combed the attic three times before discovering her son who was lying under insulation.
Earlier, the frantic parent from Glasgow told the Daily Record that she "feared the worst" as temperatures plummeted last night.
Suspicions were raised this morning when police were spotted removing two cars from outside the property where Carson lives with his gran Jacquie McCartney and had disappeared from.
But a Police Scotland spokesperson has confirmed this was part of protocols to trace the missing child as they confirmed the investigation has been concluded.
Search parties were informed to "stay away" until around 10.30am when an update was set to be provided.
To their shock and joy, the update was Carson being found at the address in Afton Bridgend.
Later in the day, his family were seen embracing each other as they shared their relief that the boy had been traced safe and well.
Mum Gemma Glover said: “With the weather the way it was last night I didn’t think he was going to make it through.
“It was a horrible feeling this morning seeing all the kids going to school holding their mum and dads' hands, and I’m just thinking, ‘he’s not survived this cold all night’.
“The police searched the loft three times and didn’t find him.
"Then they brought in the specialist team this morning and using heat sensors they discovered him lying under insulation in the loft.
“My daughter was asking, ‘why are you searching there again? You’ve searched three times,’ and then they found him.
Gemma spoke of her relief when they found Carson at the fourth attempt.
She added: “It was an amazing feeling when the police said they had good news.”
“He’s been living with my mum for a few months now.
“We’re just so relieved. We’re laughing now but trust me, we were not laughing earlier on.
“We didn’t think he was going to make it through the night."
A desperate appeal was shared by police late on Sunday evening as fears quickly grew over the missing boy with officers asking neighbours to check their gardens and garages.
The search for Carson saw a major emergency response in the East Ayrshire village which included helicopters and sniffer dogs out in force to scour through the area.
A determined search party was quickly set up with locals and people from Ayrshire and beyond helping to look for the seven-year-old.
Local supermarkets provided refreshments to the teams who worked through the night and were gearing up for a day of tracing Carson.
Carson's uncle told how he left work this morning after seeing his nephew's face on the news.
Relieved Alex McCartney said: "He’s the hide and seek champion. It’s just a relief for everybody.
"I got up to go to my work this morning and I had a few missed phone calls, then I saw it on the news and I recognised the name. I couldn’t believe it.
"I abandoned work but by the time I got here they had found him.
“We’re still in shock. We’re so thankful to the local community. Everyone was really helpful, it’s so good to have your community round about you."
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: "He (Carson) was found hiding in a wall cavity during a detailed search of his home address by specialist officers.”
Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
