Police launched a major investigation after reports of a child abduction in Gateshead were made on Saturday evening.
Scores of worried parents spilled onto the streets as officers make door-to-door inquiries in Felling.
as the situation developed after dozens of readers contacted us on social media to ask for updates.
Here is an at-a-glance guide to everything we know so far.
What happened?
Police were called at 8.15pm. They were told a young female child had been forced into a white van in the Felling area.
Where did it happen?
Police said the incident occurred near Coldwell Street, in Felling.
Was a child ever missing?
Northumbria Police say no child has been reported missing.
However, around 30 officers attended the scene in Felling and proactively conducted inquiries to establish what had happened.
The force said it treated the incident as genuine and launched a major investigation to establish the facts.
What have police said?
An initial statement while the operation was ongoing said: "Police are investigating reports of a suspicious incident in Gateshead.
"We received a report of a girl being forced into a white van on Coldwell Street, Felling.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, police released a further statement to say that the investigation had been stood down and was at an end.
The statement said:
“Officers are now satisfied this incident has not happened and the investigation has been closed.
“The public are thanked for their patience and support in this matter. “
